MORE than 100 people turned out to pay their last respects to Wordsley historian Fred Willetts.

The 87-year-old former Wordsley History Society president, a well-known figure in the village, died earlier this month after a short illness.

His funeral was held at Holy Trinity Church last Thursday (March 15).

Fred, who lived all his life in Belle Vue, Wordsley, was head gardener at the old Wordsley Hospital in his younger days after starting out at Webbs Seeds as a trainee in the greenhouse.

He met his wife Marjorie, a cook, at the Stream Road hospital, where he became head porter for a time before returning to Webbs to work in the company's new garden contract department.

He later set up his own horticultural business, which he ran until he retired at 66 to care for his wife who had cancer.

Following her death in 1986, he became involved with Wordsley Gardeners' Guild and later the Barnett Lane Allotment Holders' Association before becoming chairman and later president of Wordsley History Society.

Over the years he wrote numerous arrticles for the Black Country Bugle and he was principal contributor on the Wordsley Past & Present book, which was launched in March 2005.

Colleague and friend Stan Hill said: "He was a mine of information on Wordsley families and the development of Wordsley.

"He was very intelligent and he always bright and jolly until the end. He will be missed."

Meanwhile, in memory of Fred - members of Dudley's Development Control Committee gave the thumbs-up to plans to make for Wordsley Hospital a conservation area to ensure areas of architectural and historical interest are preserved when the site is developed.