Roy Bardsley

ROY Bardsley, who has died at the age of 76, was born in Derby but at an early age moved with his parents back to their native Saddleworth. He was educated at Saddleworth Secondary School prior to starting work at Greenfield Farm, where he developed what was to be a lifelong interest in cattle.
By The Newsroom
Published 25th May 2013, 01:01 BST

Instead of doing National Service, he enlisted in the Army and served several years with the Royal Military Police, mainly in Germany. He cultivated an interest in the Army, becoming quite knowledgeable in the history of Yorkshire regiments, particularly the Home Guard and Territorials of the West Riding.

Following the local government changes of 1974, Mr Bardsley, along with many residents of Saddleworth, considered that Saddleworth was given a “raw deal” when it was linked with the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham.

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He was a founder member and secretary of the Saddleworth White Rose Society, a voluntary group, which campaigns to preserve and promote the history, culture and identity of Saddleworth as part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and to refute the suggestion that Saddleworth had somehow moved into Lancashire.

As such, he was proud that the society had recently erected county identity signs (Lancashire and Yorkshire) on some of the roads of Saddleworth which cross the boundary into Lancashire.

Mr Bardsley died on May 20, following a long illness. He leaves his wife Elizabeth, sons David and Christopher, and five grandchildren.

Related topics:DerbyYorkshire