Death of former Blackpool mayoress is mourned

Betty Crichton held the civic honour in 1988/89 when her late husband Bob was Blackpool’s mayor.

She died on August 29, aged 86, with her family around her, after suffering from cancer.

Mrs Crichton’s husband Bob was elected first citizen after serving as a councillor since the 1970s.

The couple had moved to Blackpool in 1962 to run a guesthouse, but first came across each other when they were each travelling to the resort from Betty’s home town of Edinburgh.

Despite catching each other’s eye, they did not speak but Bob traced her after putting an advert in an Edinburgh newspaper.

Betty’s daughter Jacqui Scott-Meacham said: “They were a very gregarious couple and attended more than 300 events during their mayoral year.

“Being a musical family, this included a lot of musical events in Blackpool and they met all the stars of the day.

“When my mother became mayoress, that was her stage and she absolutely came alive.”

Jacqui, who in the 1980s was married to former entertainer Keith Harris, and her brother Cameron both went onto have musical careers.

Betty was also a former secretary at Arnold School, ran a painting and decorating shop on Lytham Road and at 71 was still working as a travel courier.

She also leaves two step-sons, Erik and David, six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

A private funeral will be held under the current restrictions at Carleton Crematorium on Friday September 11 at 1.15pm.