Tributes paid to the Pink Lady of Islington, who went viral after bullying claims
Ann Tricks, who was known as the Pink Lady of Islington - Credit: Debbie Kinsella
The woman known as the Pink Lady of Islington because of the colourful clothes she wore, has died aged 79.
Ann Tricks shot to fame after photographer Duncan Raban's film of her telling him she was bullied for the way she looked went viral.
Mr Raban approached Ann in Essex Road for his online Facebook series, 'Just say hello', and after telling her, "You look absolutely amazing", she replied: "I do get a bit bullied sometimes".
Her daughter Debbie told the Gazette: "It touched a lot of people, who thought, 'How can you bully this little lady?'
"She certainly was a character. Everyone knew her. Of course the video just went all the way around the world, on Facebook. It never stopped."
Ann was born in Guinness Buildings in Lever Street, in Finsbury, and was one of nine children growing up.
"She always said she had a very poor childhood, and that she had nothing when she was young, which is now why she was a shopaholic, hence all the clothes and all the shoes she had around the house.
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"She used to love red, but as she got older she started to introduce more of the pink. The pink hair, the clothes, her house is all pink. She had a pink coffin on the day."
Ann Tricks, who was known as the Pink Lady of Islington - Credit: Debbie Kinsella
"She loves a lot of attention, and I think that's why she dressed like this. Every day she'd say 'Someone's took my photo again', and we'd say, 'We don't know where these photos are going' but she'd say, 'I don't mind'."
Ann lived in Islington all her life, apart from a brief spell in Hertfordshire when one of her daughters moved there.
"We settled her into a bungalow but she didn't like it, and she came back to Islington," said Debbie.
"It was far too quiet for her."
People have described her on social media variously as 'a legend, an icon, the smartest dressed lady in Islington, and our sunshine on a rainy day', and balloons and flowers have been placed at a shrine to her in King's Square, where she would regularly frequent George's Café.
A shrine has been set up King's Square in memory of Ann Tricks, who was known as the Pink Lady of Islington - Credit: Debbie Kinsella
"It's been so comforting," said Debbie.
"We always knew how loved she was, but when you see it in black and white, you think, 'Wow that's what people are saying about our mum."
