Cousins to shut in respect to Jean

AN estate agent is to close its offices across Oldham tomorrow as a mark of respect following the death of one of its founders.

Cousins will shut for the day while staff attend the funeral of Jean Chadwick, an important figure in the firm’s success.

Mrs Chadwick died at the age of 88 at her Royton home a week last Saturday after suffering a stroke.

The business has been operating for 35 years and is named after her maiden name.

She continued to work there as an accountant until only a few years ago when she retired at the age of 83.

Her husband Harold died in 1985 but Mrs Chadwick remained an independent figure.

Her son, Andrew Chadwick, is a partner in the firm and paid tribute to his mother.

He said: “A lot of my colleagues worked with my mum and we thought that as a sign of respect we would close the offices tomorrow.

“She had not been well for some time but it’s tough to cope with when it’s your mum.

“It’s the end of an era. She was quite a strong character.”

Cousins is one of the longest-established estate agents in the Oldham area and has main offices in Union Street, Oldham, and Market Street, Shaw, as well as smaller offices in Failsworth and Lees, employing 12 staff in total.

The funeral service takes place at St James Church, Thornham Lane, Royton, at 1pm.