A PRIZE-winning singer from Darwen has died aged 96.
Gertrude Kay, of Hindle Court, died on Wednesday at the Royal Blackburn Hospital.
She sang with Darwen Girls’ Temperance Choir, Belgrave Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society and competed individually, before she revived Darwen Girls’ Choir in the 1930s and conducted perfomances.
The choir sang the first ever live broadcast of a cross Channel choir-duet with a girls’ choir in Cologne at the BBC headquarters in Manchester, and went on to win first prize at the national choral final held in the Albert Hall, London, during Festival of Britain year in 1951.
In 1962 Gertrude taught music at Darwen Grammar School and conducted the middle school choir.
In 1970 she also took over leadership of the Tuesday Singers, later known as the Ashleigh Singers.
In 1987, at the age 74, Gertrude conducted the re-formed Newrad Singers in Darwen, retiring at the age of 80 in 1993.
She is survived by children Betty, Winola and Joseph Brian, nine grandchildren and nineteen great grandchildren who are all musical.
Her funeral service takes place at St Cuthbert’s Church, Darwen, at 12 noon on December 11.
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