Tributes after death of museum founder
TRIBUTES have been paid to a community stalwart described as the ‘heart and soul of Church’ who passed away suddenly at hospital.
Bernard Scully (pictured right) helped found the Hyndburn Heritage Museum in the Accrington Market Hall in 2012 and previously worked as Accrington Town Hall keeper. The Prospects volunteer was instrumental in helping Gatty Park achieve Green Flag status.
TRIBUTES have been paid to a community stalwart described as the ‘heart and soul of Church’ who passed away suddenly at hospital.
Bernard Scully helped found the Hyndburn Heritage Museum in the Accrington Market Hall in 2012 and previously worked as Accrington Town Hall Keeper for many years.
The Prospects volunteer was instrumental in helping Gatty Park achieve Green Flag status and over the years both he and his wife Doreen devoted much of their time to making the Church area a better place.
The former army serviceman was recognised for his hard work and dedication in 2014 when he received the prestigious Ruby Award from Hyndburn council.
Bernard passed away suddenly in hospital on Tuesday, October 15, aged 72, after attending as a day patient.
Doreen, who had been married to Bernard for 33 years, said he was a ‘very caring and loving’ husband.
She said: “We had both been married before. We went out together when we were 16 and then we went our separate ways and he joined the army.
“We both got married and then divorce came and we bumped into each other in the local pub in Church.
“He had been a member of the regular army for about nine years and as a
TA for 19 years.
“After that he was a welder but he didn’t like it. He then went working at the Town Hall and called himself the Town Hall Keeper. He loved the job.
“The museum was his baby. He loved it. He had a lot of support from the borough.
“He was a very committed person to everything he did.
“He was very caring and loving.”
Tracy Simmonds, cofounder of the Hyndburn Heritage Museum, said it was a ‘pleasure to have known him’ and he will be ‘sadly missed by all who knew him’.
She said: “I met Bernard eight years ago when the Hyndburn Heritage Museum was formed.
“He was a passionate man with an influence of local knowledge having put together a museum in the basement of Accrington Town Hall when he was Town Hall Keeper.
“It was hidden away until it was formed in then Accrington Market Hall and then he later became chair.
“It was a pleasure to have known him. I was also there when he received his Ruby Award and was very proud of him achieving this prestigious award for his work in the Church area.”
Bernard, son of Church Urban District councillor William Scully, lived in Church all his life and worked with Prospects to transform an unsightly piece of land behind Church Kirk into a garden and picnic site.
He also helped create a community food growing project at Gatty Park with other volunteers and the
Parks Team and campaigned to keep the Walkin Centre at Accrington Victoria Hospital. His passing comes just weeks after the death of Alicia Ramell, who also helped to create the Hyndburn Heritage Museum in the Market Hall in 2012 and later in the Arndale Centre.
Hyndburn council deputy leader Paul Cox said: “Both Loraine [Church councillor] and myself knew Bernard really well. I spoke about him on the night he received the Ruby Award at the council.
“He was a driving force for Church and was a true man of Church. He was born there and grew up there and it was always in his heart. His community spirit was unbelievable and it’s a very, very sad loss. He will be missed.”
Bernard leaves wife Doreen, daughters Sharron and Kathryn, sons-inlaw Patrick and Andrew and great grandchildren Thomas, Jack, Emily and Jessica.
A service to give thanks for Bernard’s life will be held at Accrington Town Hall on Wednesday, October 30, at 11.30am followed by a private family committal.