ONE of the borough's best-known citizens has died, aged 100.

Mrs Beatrice Allen MBE, formerly of Avondale Road, Whitefield, but recently living with her daughter at Lymm in Cheshire, had been a fund-raiser for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute for an incredible 83 years.

Mrs Allen was awarded the MBE in June, 1995, for her work with the RNLI.

One hundred years old on August 13, Mrs Allen had planned a large birthday celebration at Stand Unitarian Chapel School for the next day but had to cancel when she had a fall. She had been a member of the chapel for 62 years.

Mrs Allen was 17 and living in Whalley Range, South Manchester, when she joined the Red Cross, which she worked for as a nurse for many years, and the RNLI on the same day.

She moved to Whitefield 69 years ago when her husband's work brought him to the area. She immediately began fund-raising with the Whitefield branch of the RNLI and continued until shortly before her death.

In addition to receiving the MBE - a great thrill because, as an ardent royalist, Mrs Allen was overjoyed to actually meet the Queen - she also received the RNLI's highest honour, a Gold Badge from the Institute's patron, the Duke of Kent.

A widow for the past 39 years, Mrs Allen leaves a daughter, three grandchildren and a greatgrandchild.

The funeral takes place today at Stand Unitarian Chapel at 2.45pm followed by cremation at Overdale, Bolton.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.