ONE of the first female curators of Raby Castle, in Teesdale, has died aged 78.

Elizabeth Anne Steele, was curator from 1975 to 1996 after being hired by Lord Barnard following the 1974 Sexual Equality Act.

Mrs Steele, who was also known as Lizzie, lived in Staindrop for more than 30 years before moving to a care home in Jesmond last year.

Born in 1936, she was educated at Rothesay Academy and Glasgow University before taking up positions at both Oxford University and then in the Library at the Royal Military Academy, in Sandhurst.

The keen historian also worked for the National Army Museum where she trained in museum curatorship and archival research before moving to the region to take up her post at the castle.

As curator, Mrs Steele was responsible for the care of the castle and its contents, curatorial and historical research and publicity while she also built up the catering and retail aspects of the estate.

In her spare time was secretary for the Northumbria branch of the Historic Houses Association and in her later years she became a volunteer chaplain at Darlington Memorial Hospital while she was also a driver for hospitals throughout the region.

She leaves behind her daughter, two grandsons and cousin, Debbie Nicholson.

Speaking about Mrs Steele, Ms Nicholson said: “She had a wonderful life because she was doing exactly what she loved and was also a cookery expert from what she had read about it and some of the books she has given to Raby are from cooking in the medieval times.”

She added: “She was very busy and just giving of her time and she loved her chaplaincy work.

“She did have a lovely life, it’s just so sad because her mind was so active right at the end and it was just her body.”

Mrs Steele’s former employer, Lord Barnard, said: “I was very sad indeed to hear of Elizabeth’s death.

“She worked at Raby for many years as curator and I’m very grateful for all the work she did here – I know she had a great love for Raby Castle.”

Mrs Steele died at St Oswald’s Hospice, in Newcastle, on January 13, after suffering from Non Hodgkin Lymphoma, a rare cancer of the lymphatic system.

Her funeral, followed by a private cremation, will be held at the Church of the Holy Name, in Jesmond, on Monday, February 2, at 2pm.