One of the SNP’s best-known Angus activists has died at the age of 89.
Retired nursing assistant Ivy Barker was born in Montrose in 1921 and was a founder of the town’s branch of the party on its inception in 1966.
Together with several other nationalists, including her late sister Chrissie, Ms Barker worked from shop premises in the New Wynd to raise the necessary funds to establish a wing of the party in her area.
Following this, she and Chrissie continued to help the party through the organisation of discos in the Angus Rooms.
Her contribution to the cause was such that many party members credit her with the fact the SNP was able to purchase premises at Murray Street in 1970, which would become its headquarters in the town for more than two decades.
Although in recent years Ms Barker who worked for most of her life in Sunnyside Royal Hospital was unable to play as full a role in party affairs as she would have liked, friends said that she was a great admirer of Alex Salmond and his leadership of the first SNP government at Holyrood.
Among those who paid tribute to Ms Barker was local councillor Sandy West, also a founding member of the branch.
In recent years, Mr West had taken to driving Ms Barker to the polling station such was her determination, despite her failing health, to lend her support to the party.
He said, “Ivy did not like postal votes. She had to be there to cast her vote.”
Ms Barker lived alone in India Lane following Chrissie’s death and is survived by many nieces and nephews.
Her funeral will take place on Wednesday, January 19, at Montrose Old and St Andrew’s Parish Church at 11am, to which all family and friends are respectfully invited.