SADNESS has been expressed following the death of a talented Teesdale photographer, whose images of the upper Dale featured in print and on television regularly.
Carol Grey, 56, who died last week, was well known for her captivating images of the dale.
She was born and raised in Middleton-in-Teesdale and after leaving school worked at TT Leathers and Scott Leathers, in Barnard Castle, as a machinist.
She gave up work to care full time for her parents, Dennis and Enid, at their family home. But photography was her passion, a love which began at a young age, inspired by her father, who who also enjoyed taking pictures.
Her brother, Chris, said: “Our dad used to be a very keen photographer, right back into the fifties so there were always hundreds of photographs of us when we were kids.
“Carol had her first camera when she was still at school, copying dad really. She progressed through many different cameras up until the digital one she had just bought recently but was never well enough to use it.
“She loved the local area and mainly the upper Dale, where she took most of her photos. She definitely had a good eye for a photograph where other people might have just walked past and not seen what Carol had seen.
“She was always getting photographs on the BBC Look North weather forecast and her proudest achievement was getting a photo in the 2018 Look North Children in Need calendar. She went to the studios with a friend and met weather presenter Paul Mooney.”
Her images often featured in the pages of the Mercury and two years ago, Miss Grey’s photograph of Harwood Beck meets the River Tees, became a popular inclusion in the Teesdale Mercury’s annual calendar. Miss Grey was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour the same year. She underwent several operations as well as radio and chemotherapy but lost her battle last week. Mr Grey added: “She got a job at Middleton doctors’ surgery in 2016, which she was extremely proud of, but had to leave after two years when she was diagnosed. At the time she wanted to carry on working. She didn’t want to let anyone down.
“All this time she was still out and about walking with her camera. She was no longer allowed to drive, but that didn’t stop her taking photographs.”
Friends took to social media to express their sadness. Cynthia Mackenzie said: “Carol will always be remembered for her beautiful photographs.”
Susan Bainbridge said: “Carol was one of the nicest, kindest people you could ever meet and one of the best photographers in this dale. She will be missed by everyone.”
