I WAS saddened to read of the passing of Colin Lynch the Northwich historian.

It was Colin who encouraged me to write articles in the Guardian about Winsford in the 1990s and also got me in touch with Countryside Publications when I wrote Winsford in Times Past in 1986, after Colin wrote two books for them.

What Colin didn’t know about Northwich wasn’t worth knowing.

He was consulted and appeared on Granada Reports and Look North many times on Northwich’s history, and helped Brian Redhead on his TV series Homeground.

I would call at Colin’s every week for a chat when I lived at Rudheath in the 1990s.

He was a lovely chap and Northwich will be a sadder place without him and his expertise. He has made many so-called ‘local historians’.

I have never seen a library of Cheshire books and photos to match his collection, many of which are stored in the Colin Lynch Room’ at Northwich Library.

There will never be a local book as good as the epic Colin Lynch’s Northwich, which was published in hardback by his friend and ex-Guardian editor Mark Bevan, which sold out before it was released, when Colin presented me with a copy at its launch, which I treasure.

If there is any justice then I hope that the powers that be will take it on themselves to name a street after Colin for the services and pleasure he has given to the people of Northwich over the years and I hope he will get acknowledged by anyone who may use his photos and works in writing of the town in future.

Bob Curzon Winsford