Tributes to well-respected medieval coin expert Michael Burt

Local historian Michael Burt was born at Barnshaw Hall Farm in Goostrey and became a specialist in buying and selling rare books all over the world.

The 77-year-old was a member of a well-known village family and lived at a Hill Top smallholding on Blackden Lane with his late parents, Norman and Bessie.

Michael was an enthusiastic member of Goostrey Parish Archive and continued to play a leading role after moving to Lostock Gralam, near Northwich.

Michael Burt (Image: Supplied)

In his spare time, he became a keen metal detectorist and his finds of coins and artefacts in the Goostrey area added to the early knowledge of the parish.

Roger Burgess, chairman of the Goostrey Parish Archive, said Michael was a ‘great loss’ to Goostrey and the local community.

Roger said: ”Michael spent most of his working life at Barclays at Radbrook Hall, but his first love was antiques.

“He was able to resign from Barclays to spend his later working life in the trade, specialising in second-hand books.

“He built up quite a successful online business buying and selling rare books around the world.

"His main hobby was metal detecting and he belonged to a number of societies in the North West and became well known and well respected for his knowledge of medieval coins.

"He was also a keen member of the Goostrey Parish Archive where his knowledge and memory of members of the Goostrey community was encyclopaedic.

“He was able to put names to the many people who are recorded in the vast collection of photographs in the archive."

Michael and his brother David were members of St Luke’s Church choir when they were young boys.

Michael was a pupil at Goostrey Primary School and Knutsford Secondary Modern School.

He died at Leighton Hospital on July 18 after a courageous battle with illness.

His funeral will be held at St Luke’s Church at 10am on Thursday, August 8, followed by cremation at Vale Royal Crematorium for family and close friends only.