THE head of a well-known Rossendale Valley building company which flourished for more than 30 years has died only weeks after the death of one of his brothers.

Mr John Connolly, who lived most of his life in the valley, was the founder and chairman of Connolly Brothers, which he set up in the 1950s and which traded successfully throughout Lancashire and at its height had more than 100 employees on its payroll.

Born in Stacksteads, Mr Connolly was 73 and died in the Brierfield House Nursing Home, Brierfield, on Sunday after a long illness.

He was a keen golfer and member of the Rossendale Golf Club. He was in business all his life right up to the time the firm ceased to trade in the late 1980s.

His funeral is tomorrow at l0.30am at the church where he had been a longtime parishioner, St James the Less in Rawtenstall. Mr Connolly is survived by his wife, Margery, sons John, Paul, Patrick and Michael, daughters Angela, Margaret and Madeleine, 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. His brother, Matt, died at the new year. Mr Connolly is also survived by four brothers and two sisters.

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