Barbara Briggs

I first met Barbara at dancing class aged three, but it wasn’t until our family moved near to Barbara’s at the age of eight that we became really good friends. Throughout our teens we were inseparable and usually went on holiday together. At the age of fifteen we went to Butlin’s and Barbara bet me a bag of plums to enter the daily talent show. I accepted the bet, singing an Ella Fitzgerald song very badly. I didn’t win but I did get my bag of plums. I recently heard the Ella Fitzgerald version and I was taken right back. When we were sixteen we went on a bike ride to Pickmere, a long journey for two young girls who’d only ridden round the local district. It took so long to get there that, exhausted as we were, we had to turn round and head back home. To make matters worse we got lost coming back. When we asked a passer-by where we were and he replied Wogdin we both panicked as we’d never heard of it. We hadn’t realised that that was what the locals called Walkden and that we were only a couple of miles from home. We could never work out how we got from Altrincham to Walkden! We were keen cinemagoers and went once or twice a week. We went to see Psycho and were absolutely terrified. Barbara’s family lived in a large three storey house at the time and when she got back home everyone had gone to bed and the house was in darkness. Barbara’s bedroom was on the third floor and she climbed up the stairs in the pitch black, eyes popping out of her head, fully expecting a mad woman with a knife to be waiting to pounce at the top of the stairs. We were automatically each other’s bridesmaid and as our babies arrived within three days of each other, we also shared our pregnancies. The last time I saw Barbara was in March, just before lockdown. We went to the pictures and realised that it had been over sixty years since our last visit to the cinema together. We had sort of come round full circle. Barbara will always be part of my life because I have so many memories to bring her to mind. Even today when David and I were talking about chocolate misshapes I remembered that they used to be her favourites and she would often share a bag with me. Any friendship that lasts over seventy years is something special and I’m so glad that I shared that friendship with Barbara.

Barbara was a very quiet lady always there but in the background. she had a way about her when she asked you to do something for the Sunday morning service you said yes. she found out about my craft stall and every month she arrived at church on a Sunday with 4 knitted baby cardigans. Thank you

What a lovely LADY. I knew Barbara through the U3A & gardening groups. Barbara was able to make everyone feel welcome & special. She was never short of a kind or understanding word. Barbara was a wonderful organiser of our group & kept in touch with the members regularly through out lockdown. She will be greatly missed.

I knew Barbara through the U3A, where she ran the gardening group with great enthusiasm and made everyone feel so welcome.. She was such a kind ,gentle soul and always had such a sweet smile for everyone..Barbara will be very much missed and my thoughts and prayers are with her family at this very sad time. X

Barbara was a very warm and loving person with a heart of gold. Loved by all who knew here.May she rest in peace. Now reunited with George.

Barbara you were always so lovely and kind to Ken and I and supported all the trips we organised for the U3A. You became a very good friend and we will really miss your company. God Bless You.

We will really miss Barbara. Small in stature but big in heart. Wonderfully helpful when we were preaching at Patricroft and her prayers were always relevant and amazing. She will remain in our memory for so many wonderful reasons, too numerous to list! Barbara touched so many lives and was such an inspiration to everyone she met. She was a wonderful example of what a Christian should be. We will really miss her and believe she is now with George, in God's presence. Our condolences and love to Barbara's family and her many other friends.

Such a lovely person . My thoughts and prayers are with her family at this very sad time. With love x