Last of the Summer Wine’s Kathy Staff gets memorial window

ATV First She became one of Britain’s best known Battleaxes as Nora Batty in Last of the Summer Wine, however the much kinder and gentle actress behind Nora – Kathy Staff – has been honoured with a memorial window in her home town of Dukinfield.

 

She became one of Britain’s best known Battleaxes as Nora Batty in Last of the Summer Wine, however the much kinder and gentle actress behind Nora – Kathy Staff – has been honoured with a memorial window in her home town of Dukinfield.

Staff, who was born in the town in 1928, was a lifelong member of St Mark’s Church where the glass window has been installed. The stained glass shows the outstretched arms of a welcoming Jesus Christ with the words of her favourite psalm circling the edge of the window. The base of the piece has a written dedication to Kathy.

The latest memorial follows a blue plaque marker, which was placed on the side of the church hall in March this year, it was unveiled by family friend and fellow actor Roy Barraclough – who worked with Kathy on Yorkshire Television’s Castle Haven serial, in which Roy played Kathy’s on-screen husband.

Kathy’s family have had a long association with St Mark’s, her great uncle Jim and maternal grandfather Robert were church wardens in the 1920s and her mother and father ran an associated mission.

Kathy was baptised, attended primary school, girl guides and the amateur dramatic society at the church as well as being married in 1951 at the Dukinfield landmark and just under three years ago was home to her final journey when the town mourned the star at her funeral.

It was therefore the family’s choice that both memorials to Kathy should be erected in the church and grounds, as it was ‘her second home’.

Speaking to ATV Today, Katherine Riddel, Kathy’s eldest daughter said, “To be quite honest we couldn’t think of anywhere else that we’d rather have mum remembered.” While Kathy’s husband John adds, “We feel a fitting tribute to her, for all the time she has spent here.”

The window was dedicated and blessed on Sunday by the Archdeacon of Macclesfield, Ian Bishop who recalled Kathy’s role of Nora Batty and also that of Doris Luke in Crossroads, which was her longest running soap role. The latter show being Staff’s personal favourite to work on from her extensive career.

“It was a happy show, a family show. It was the happiest show I’ve ever worked on” she said in an interview in 2005 when asked which show was her favourite. She also defended the programme from critics, “The press made up stories because millions watched the show so it sold more papers.” Adding “I’ve worked on other programmes where the sets did wobble, but not on Crossroads, I never saw any wobble.” Kathy was also proud to have been gifted with the first ever words in Last of the Summer Wine, which were, “They’re takin’ his telly again.” She recalled.

The actress who had a long television, film and stage career died aged 80 in 2008. A video recorded by ATV Network of the Kathy Staff service can be viewed in EyeSpy here.