‘Huge’ contribution of Blandford Museum stalwart Pam (From Bournemouth Echo)

‘Huge’ contribution of Blandford Museum stalwart Pam

9:00pm Monday 25th January 2010 in

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THE dedication of a museum stalwart has been fondly remembered by people in Blandford.

Figures from organisations across the town have paid tribute to the late Pam Le Bas, who died after a long battle with cancer.

Her husband, Dr Michael Le Bas, the museum’s deputy curator, said his wife had continued to help with the museum’s archives until her death.

“She was struck with cancer last April, which was progressive and became more painful. It was a terrible time for her, with pain that couldn’t be controlled.

“But down to her last dying breath, she continued to help. I would take problems to her on the archiving side, and she would tell me what to do and who to contact.”

The couple met in Cambridge in 1954 and married three years later in Pam’s home town of Exeter. They later moved to Leicester and had three sons. Blandford became their permanent home in 1996, and they “very quickly” became involved at the town’s museum, where Mrs Le Bas worked as the archivist.

The curator of Blandford Museum, Dr Peter Andrews, said her passing would leave a huge hole in the life of the museum.

“She has been one of the people who have kept it going and brought it into the 21st century.

“Her main contribution was to completely reorganise and make sense of the archive, which was a huge task.”

Blandford Civic Society’s chairman, John Barnes, said she had been “a great asset” to the society and would be sadly missed.

Town councillor Dr Sylvia Hixon-Andrews said Mrs Le Bas had sat on a number of committees in the town, including one to preserve the Stour Meadows railway arches.

“I personally feel her loss and I think the whole town will. The railway arches group would have fallen by the wayside without her involvement.

“I’m extremely sorry for both Pam and Michael. Pam made a huge contribution to the people of Blandford. She worked quietly and was one of those people who just got on and did things.”

A funeral service will be held at Poole Crematorium on January 29 at 1pm. All are welcome.

Donations can be made to the Blandford Museum and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).