DAPHNE Tillotson, the tireless charity worker and widow of former Bolton Evening News chairman Marcus Tillotson, has died, aged 89.

She was born in South Wales, in 1920, she trained as a teacher in the Lake District and was later a governess for the Cadbury family in the Midlands.

There she met her husband, when he trained in the region during the Second World War.

They were married in 1944 and went on to have four children — Peter, Jennifer Anne, Susan and James.

The couple spent the majority of their married life living at the family home, in Victoria Road, Heaton.

In 2002, Mrs Tillotson was awarded the highest honour Bolton can bestow on a citizen, the Civic Medal, in recognition of all she had done for the town.

She was involved with several local charities and her eldest son Peter Tillotson said the family is only just becoming aware of the scale of her work.

She worked for, and supported, among others, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the YMCA in Bolton, News Talk for the Blind, Vision Aid, the National Trust, RSPB, NSPCC, and the Rotary Club and Inner Wheel.

She and her husband were both heavily involved with the Rotary Club and Mrs Tillotson worked with the Inner Wheel.

Her family children have fond memories of holidays with their mother in Wales every August. Mrs Tillotson would spend the month with her family back on the Gower peninsular, South Wales.

She remained active in her later life and became involved with the Women’s Guild at St Andrew and St George United Reformed Church.

Retired minister Jim Hollyman said: “I remember her fondly as someone who was proud of her Welsh origins. She was a warm, caring, down to earth person who gave generously of her time and energy to many charitable groups in serving the Bolton community.”

Mrs Tillotson fell ill earlier this year and died peacefully in hospital.

Her husband was the grandson of William F Tillotson who founded the Bolton Evening News in 1867.

He began work at Tillotsons Newspapers Ltd in 1937 but when war broke out he joined the Territorials.

After the war he rejoined Tillotsons, becoming a director.

He succeeded his father, Mr Fred L Tillotson, as chairman of the newspaper company in 1956 and ran the business until its sale in 1971. He died in 2005, also aged 89.

A private funeral will be held at Overdale Crematorium at 11am on Tuesday, December 29.

A Thanksgiving Service will be held at St Andrew and St George United Reformed Church on Friday, January 22.She leaves four children, nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

steven.thompson@theboltonnews.co.uk