Harry was born on 4th December, 1932, the younger son of Cecil and Ada Duckworth. Although Harry was born in Southport the family originated from East Lancashire and when Harry was still very young they returned to Great Harwood, where they ran a fish and chip shop.

Many of you will know Harry from his lifelong involvement in music. This is something which he showed a great talent for from an early age, initially playing the piano accordion and winning the North West Area Championship in 1949 and 1950,

On leaving school Harry followed Sidney, his brother, into the RAF, albeit as a National Serviceman. There he put his music to good use, learning to play the bugle and in the process gaining an exemption from much of the otherwise compulsory square bashing.

Having completed his National Service, Harry trained to be a music teacher, firstly at Bretton Hall in Yorkshire and later at the Royal Academy in London.

Harry’s first teaching post was at Hartshill High School in Nuneaton. Each year the school put on a Gilbert & Sullivan production, and it was there in 1958 that Harry met Mary, who was providing the piano accompaniment.

Mary and Harry married on 23rd December, 1960. They were married for 57 years and had two children, Andrew and Ian.

In 1967, Harry took up the post of head of music at Preston Catholic College. There he built a highly successful boys’ choir, winning many competitions, including a prestigious Welsh Eisteddfod, touring the USA on several occasions and representing Britain at the Loreto International Choral Festival in Italy. When the choir sang the American national anthem before a baseball match at Shea Stadium, they were the first British performers to appear there since the Beatles!

Harry’s last teaching post was as head of music at St Mary’s Hall, the preparatory school to Stonyhurst College, where he once again enjoyed considerable success with the boys’ choir, before retiring from teaching in 1992.

For 25 years Harry held the post of organist and choirmaster here at Fulwood Methodist Church. He was also the musical director of the Preston Orpheus Choir from 1979 until just short of his 80th birthday. And in case that wasn’t enough, Harry spent 17 years as musical director of the Preston Schools’ Music Festival, which he ran jointly with Mary. At the end of his time at Fulwood Methodist, Harry continued to work as a church organist, playing regularly at a number of churches right up until the early part of this year.

In retirement Harry and Mary were passionate ballroom dancers, attending classes and events in Lancashire and beyond.

He lived life to the full for all of his 85 years.