Stuart Robinson, a founder member of Blackpool Folk Club, has died aged 66.

The anchorman of the hugely-successful Taverners group, he played several instruments including guitar, melodeon, mandolin, bouzouki and five-stringed banjo.

His banjo and his passion for music was inherited from his father who had performed in shows on Blackpool piers between the wars.

Mr Robinson’s early musical career began with the skiffle era and he later sang cover versions of songs from the Kingston Trio, a hugely popular American group.

He worked at that time with Pete Rodger and Geoff Gleave and they were later joined by Brian Osborne and Alan Bell to form The Taverners.

That was in 1961 when the folk club was also founded at the Talbot Hotel – now demolished – near Talbot Road bus station.

Mr Bell, director of the Fylde Folk Festival, said: “When Geoff Gleave moved away, Stuart became even more influential in the choice of material for the group and his simple but attractive arrangements of traditional material suited Big Pete very well indeed.

“Pete was a big man with a big voice and Stuart’s rapport on stage with him was unique.

“To an older generation, Stuart Robinson will be fondly remembered as a quiet musical mastermind.”

Mr Robinson, who lived on Mayfield Avenue, South Shore, was born in East Lancashire, but his family moved to Blackpool when he was very young.

He eventually became a civil servant and worked at a number of centres across the Fylde.

He was a member of The Taverners at the first Fylde Folk Festival in 1972 and appeared with the group at a Royal Command performance in 1981 to celebrate the reopening of the Grand Theatre in Blackpool.

He performed with the group in all their radio and TV appearances and was the musical mainstay on all their recordings.

When the Taverners disbanded, Stuart joined the Alan Bell Band.

However, the travelling and late nights became too much for him and he joined the John Scarlett Band, working local clubs and hotels in the Fylde with their cover versions of 1960s hits.

He had been recovering well from heart surgery when he died suddenly on July 31.

His funeral was held at Carleton Crematorium on August 8.