Collection sell-off to pay for 'bag lady's' funeral
Neighbours of a collector who was affectionately known as the "bag lady" after amassing a 40,000-strong hoard of carrier bags, are planning to auction off her property in order to fund her funeral, it has emerged.
Neighbours of a collector who was affectionately known as the "bag lady" after amassing a 40,000-strong hoard of carrier bags, are planning to auction off her property in order to fund her funeral, it has emerged.
Carol Vaughan died at the weekend aged 67. As well as collecting carrier bags, she holds the Guiness World Record for the largest soap collection and had more than 600 biscuit tins in her Great Barr home. She became a local celebrity and recently appeared on ITV's Daybreak show, on the Collectorholics feature.
Despite her tendency to hoard, the executers of her Will, Adam and Daniel Butlin, say at the moment there is no money to fulfil her wishes for her funeral.
The brothers hope by selling the goods she has collected over the years, they can fund the send off they say she deserves.
Adam Butlin, aged 22, who live just doors away from Miss Vaughan's rented home in Dunedin Road, said he and his brothers were honoured to be executers, but that there was not enough money for a funeral.
The Birmingham Metropolitan University student said: "We are hoping to raise funds for the great send-off she deserves, by auctioning off her collectibles. Once enough has been raised for the funeral, we hope there will be enough to make a donation to Birmingham Dogs Home, which was also one of Carol's final wishes."
Mr Butlin's father Craig, said Miss Vaughan had requested to be cremated and have a funeral at Perry Barr Crematorium, where her mother was laid to rest.
But he said: "We don't want her send off to be like this, we think she deserves more than this."
Miss Vaughan collected a vast array of everyday items, including tins, a shtrays, mugs, carrier bags, watches, cudly toys, beads, which the Butlin family hope other collecters may want to buy.
He added: "We would also like to know if anyone has a complete list of everything she collected. Her house is a treasure trove of junk, so it is very hard to see what she actually has."
Anyone who would be interested in any of the collectibles or would be willing to make a donation towards the funeral should email Adam Butlin on thecarolvaughanfund@yahoo.co.uk or call 0121 3250052.
