Funeral Service

Time: 1.40pm

Date: Friday 16th December 2022

Service Details:
Margaret's funeral service will be held at Accrington Crematorium Chapel followed by Interment at Accrington Cemetery.

Margaret Anne Briars

Peacefully in hospital on 2nd December 2022, Margaret aged 61 years of Simonstone.

The adored and much loved daughter of Brenda and the late Geoff, loving partner of Neil, loved sister of Joyce and her husband Martin, dear aunty of Felicity and Nathan and a dear cousin to Pam.

Margaret was a fashion buyer for leading ladies outfitters and latterly her own shop, Margaret Anne of Horwich.

She was a helpful friend to many and enjoyed time spent in the Dales and Lakes and holidays in Madeira. A keen wildlife photographer she was also a talented water colourist.

Family flowers only please, donations can be made in memory of Margaret on behalf of East Lancashire Hospice. To make a donation please click the ‘Make A Donation’ button at the bottom of this page.

Please feel free to leave a message for Margaret’s online memorial book by completing the form below. [ninja_form id=5]

Sharon

Love always

Sharon

Love to you aunty Brenda and family

Sue Boden

Such very sad news to hear of your passing, Margaret. As best friend of Joyce throughout our secondary school years and beyond I was very fortunate to have known you. I will always remember you as a free spirited, happy, fun loving young girl who was a joy to be around. Always showing kind heartedness to others. Always remember you giving me a fantastic pixie cut hairstyle when we were younger. You had such an enviable fashion sense even in your teens and I’m so glad you got to live out your dream of making this your career. You will be missed Margaret, by those many people whose lives you touched. Peace be with you. Xx

Claire Fairhurst (nee Birch)

Dear Margaret, you were my best childhood friend and we had such fun meeting the challenges of growing up. We tried to get in touch again in recent years, but covid and family responsibilities of both of us made it difficult. I was shocked by the news of your passing. I send love to Brenda an Joyce Anne, and love to you Maggie, and wish you peace xxxxx

Claire Fairhurst (nee Birch)

Dear Margaret, you were my best childhood friend and we had such fun meeting the challenges of growing up. We tried to get in touch again in recent years, but covid and family responsibilities of both of us made it difficult. I was shocked by the news of your passing. I send love to Brenda an Joyce Anne, and love to you Maggie, and wish you peace xxxxx

Philip Churm

I would like to offer my deep and sincere condolences to you as the loved ones of Margaret Anne. There is no reason for you to know me and I had not met Margaret Anne for over 40 years but I heard she had passed away and I was truly saddened. I was saddened because I remembered Margaret from a time when we both attended Accrington & Rossendale College in the late 1970s and afterwards when she worked in the ladies fashion shop on Abbey St (the name of which currently escapes me). I left Accrington in the early 80s and I never really knew what Margaret had done after that other than being aware of her fashion venture near Bolton. But my memory of Margaret Anne is of a unique and vibrant idealist who was never swayed by the zeitgeist or the opinions of the many arrogant and misogynistic views that were present at that time. Margaret Anne and I were in the same drama group and she stood out from the crowd with her ability to interpret complex situations and express herself in powerful and memorable ways. I remember Margaret Anne once loudly singing Tom Robinson’s “Glad to be Gay” in the college corridors at a time when it would have ruffled more than a few feathers! It seemed she was determined to challenge the omnipresent bigotry and unfairness which was all too present in Britain at that time. There are very few people I remember from my time at the college but Margaret Anne was different … special … important. In short, I know little of her life after that but I wanted to share with you a few small memories I have and which caused me to be so deeply saddened to learn she is no longer with us. Those memories will always stay with me and I feel privileged to have shared some very small moments with her at a time when the world really needed to hear the voice of someone like her. My thoughts go out to all of you who had the joy of spending your lives with such a remarkable woman. If you have read this far; thank you. These are just the words of an old man from the past on whom Margaret Anne had an impact. My deepest condolences. Philip Churm (philip@philipchurm.com).