Bill Curtis – Fleetwood historian, local legend and unsung hero
Historian Elinor “Bill” Curtis, who died in September 2006, was a popular figure in Fleetwood and a recognised authority on the town’s history and development. She wrote several books and pamphlets detailing the history of the North Euston Hotel, the Pharos and Lower Lighthouses, and the Mount Pavilion. Her book “Images of Fleetwood and the Wyre Towns” has become well-known for its value as a chronicle of local social history, while “The Golden Dream”, which follows the town’s birth, is also very popular.
Bill was a frequent contributor to Life in Fleetwood magazine and its sister publications, writing regular articles and features; you may well have read her articles without realising it. Journalists, historians and lay folk alike found her knowledge of the Fylde Coast to be formidable, and she was the first point of contact for many people with historical questions.
In addition to her comprehensive historical knowledge, Bill was known for her no-nonsense approach and dry wit. A woman of considerable energy, she was a founder member of Fleetwood Photographic Society, and for many years ran Fleetwood Camera Centre alongside her husband Colin, who died in 2004.
Bill Curtis’ contribution to the town of Fleetwood was a substantial one, and she will be missed by many. In publishing her articles, in print and on the web, we wish to pay tribute to a woman who can rightly be considered a real Fleetwood institution.
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