Family and friends say farewell to former Bolton mayor Noel Spencer

Family, friends and former colleagues across the political spectrum, gathered at Our Lady of Lourdes and St Gregory’s RC Church in Farnworth for the 12.30pm funeral service of the much-loved Anthony Noel Spencer MBE, known as Noel, who died aged 84 in October.

The service, led by priest, Father David Chinnery, included tributes to the honorary alderman and a eulogy was read out by Brian Iddon, the previous MP for Bolton South.

After arriving at the church, Noel’s coffin was led into the service by the mayor of Bolton, Cllr Mohammed Ayub, and council leader Nick Peel.

Hymns sang at the service included Do Not Be Afraid, The Lord’s My Shephard, Jerusalem, and Amazing Grace with verses from the bible also read out including the first letter of St John, chapter three verses one and two and a gospel reading from St Matthew’s gospel, chapter five, verses one to 12.

Fr Chinnery paid the first tribute to Noel as he sent his condolences to Noel’s family.

He said: “We gather here today to bid farewell to our brother Anthony Noel Spencer, and we thank God for his life, for his service to the community, to the parish and his friends and family.

“Our hearts go out especially to those who shared the adventure of his life, and our hearts go out today to his family.

“He represented Bolton very well, he was Bolton’s faithful servant.

Mayor and Mayoress Noel and Alice Spencer (Image: Bolton Council)“Noel was a great man, he was inquisitive, and he had a great love for learning, he had a great love for the American Civil War and a love for history as well as for music and jazz.

“Noel has left a wonderful legacy and so may our brother Anthony Noel Spencer rest in peace.”

Fr Chinnery also shared all the achievements Noel had throughout his life always caring for his community and his town.

The former RAF medic, who was also an engineer by trade, was first elected to Bolton Council more than half a century ago in 1970.

Well known for his work representing Farnworth, Alderman Spencer, born in 1939, was also renowned for his passion for housing.

Noel Spencer MBE (Image: Bolton Council)Over the course of his career his roles also included chairman of the housing committee, executive member for housing, chair of the North West Housing Forum and chair of Bolton at Home.

His dedication to making sure residents were properly housed earned him the appointment of honorary president for life of Bolton at Home, the borough’s biggest housing group.

Noel served as borough mayor from 2011 to 2012 alongside his mayoress Alice Spencer.

He was awarded an MBE for services to social housing in 2017 and made an honorary alderman in 2018.

Noel was also known for being competitive at sport especially tennis, he played tennis for Lancashire County and travelled all around the county.

Mr Iddon led the eulogy on behalf of the family, sharing the memories of Alderman Spencer growing up, what he did for the community and how much he will be missed.

He said how Noel’s children Lee and Laura told him that Noel’s grandchildren thought he had a palace when he was mayor.

Speaking in the eulogy, he said: “Lee and Laura told me that some of his young grandchildren thought he was someone very special, in their eyes he had a palace in the middle of Bolton, where he sat on a thrown wearing some very feeble looking robes.

“And of course, he was very special.”

Mr Iddon also shared how Noel was “Bolton’s answer to Sinatra” as people could often hear him singing Frank Sinatra songs throughout his life including at Farnworth and Kearsley Labour Club, raising a lot of money for charity.

Finishing the eulogy, Mr Iddon said: “Noel was succeeded by three of his four children, by 12 grandchildren and by five great grandchildren, even though he never seemed to be at home, he would always offer his help to other people.

“Thank you, Noel, for all of the work that you have done for the many people in Bolton, you were a remarkable fella, and we all applaud you and we send our sincere condolences to the family.”

After the service, Noel’s coffin was borne out of the catholic church and back into the hearse.

The procession left the church at 1.40pm and drove into the town centre, along Le Mans Crescent with onlookers taking a one-minute pause as a mark of respect for his services to the town as a councillor and Mayor.

The family then drove onto Overdale Crematorium West Chapel for the 2pm committal service.

If you have a story or something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at chloe.wilson@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on X @chloewjourno.

Source – INDIA TV