A WELL-known Lancashire dialect poet has died just three days after learning his work was being placed in a prestigious university collection.

Frederick Rose, who spent his whole professional career teaching in Blackburn and Darwen, died last Tuesday aged 93, three days after his 62nd wedding anniversary with wife Daphne. He had six children, 16 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Mr Rose was a well-known writer of Lancashire dialect under the nom-de-plume Mick o' Pleasington and he discovered three days before his death that his life's work would be admitted to the John Ryland's Library of Manchester University.

His poems cover every facet of his life and many have been published throughout the years in the Lancashire Telegraph.

One of the poems Thutch Op, an old Lancashire saying meaning move along', may be read at his funeral and the coffin will be strewn with roses to mark his love of gardening.

Mr Rose's last poem, Eaur Heritage, is a plea not to allow Lancashire dialect to die away.

His son Peter said: "He loved language and was especially good at teaching those children who didn't have a passion for it because he introduced his dialect into the classroom.

"He believed the dialect was an important part of Lancashire and that it had a right to exist.

"He was an exceptional teacher but never let school work get in the way of his home life. His greatest achievement was his family. He was a great dad."

Born in Queen Victoria Street, Mill Hill in 1914, Mr Rose studied at Manchester University where he graduated in 1935 with a degree in English and history and studied under the eminent historian AJP Taylor.

He taught English at St Peter's, Mill Hill, as a student in 1932, at St Joseph's, Darwen, 1945 to 1948, St Alban's Higher Grade School, Blackburn, from 1948 to 1958, St Mary's Secondary Boys' School, Blackburn, from 1958 to 1959, and St Mary's College, Blackburn, from 1960 until he retired in 1976.

At St Mary's he was affectionately known as Fred Drag' due to his heavy smoking.

During the Second World War, Mr Rose served in the Intelligence Corps in England, Belgium and Germany.

A requiem mass will be celebrated at Pleasington Priory on Thursday at 11.30am.