Tributes to former Fleetwood teacher who taught generations

Audrey Doyle, who has died at the age of 86, worked at the former Milton Street School and then Shakespeare Primary School from the 1957 to 1994.

It meant that Audrey, formerly of Wyresdale Court, Fleetwood. had the unusual experience of retiring from the very same school where she had been a school starter more than 50 years earlier.

She was described as a "born teacher" and after retiring she continued to help both children and adults with reading.

Her funeral is to be held at the town's Trinity Baptist Church, where she was a member for a staggering 83 years, on Tuesday February 16.

Sheila Jump, 61, Audrey's eldest daughter, who now lives in Nelson, East Lancashire, said: "Our mum was a born teacher and she was always recognised when she was out and about in the town.

"Even when she was older people would always shout out "Mrs Doyle" to her.

"She told me several times that she was teaching pupils whose grandparents had even been taught by her!

"She loved teaching and when her retirement from the school arrived she was sad to be leaving, just before her 60th birthday.

"But she kept on teaching privately for quite a few years, it was just in her to teach."

Audrey (nee Cottam) was born in Fleetwood and after attending Shakespeare (later Manor Infants), Chaucer Juniors and Fleetwood Grammar School, she went to London for teacher training at Gypsy Hill Teacher Training College in Kingston-Upon-Thames.

After graduating she spent a probationary year teaching in Salford before returning to her home town.

A job opportunity arrived sooner than expected when she was approached by Jim Haworth, head teacher at Milton Street, about joining the teaching staff.

She ended up staying there - and associated junior school - until her retirement, teaching everything from English, maths, geography and history to PE, although she was not fond of the latter.

Away from teaching, Audrey was a devout member of Trinity Baptist Church, where she was church secretary for many years.

A great grandmother, she was married to ship's rigger Tommy Doyle, who died in 2003 and from whom she was divorced in 1975, and the couple had two daughters, Susan Ross, 59, who lives in Accrington, and Sheila.

Audrey leaves seven grandchildren - Susan's children Karen, 30, Katy, 29, Lucy, 26, and Sheila's children Gillian, 41 Jonny 40, Becky 37 and Simon, 33.

She also leaves nine great grandchildren, as well as her younger sister Marjorie, 84.