Alwyn Ogborn writes:
Long-standing members of HCS may remember Geoff. At his funeral recently, I met Gerry Turner, who was a human face in BW at a time when, as far as HCS was concerned, these were few and far between. I took the opportunity of obtaining a copy of the obituary of Geoff that he had written for the Calder Navigation Society:-
"I first came into contact with Geoff in approximately 1984, when he visited me at my BW office in Castleford. He wished to make me aware of an idea which he had been formulating for some time - that of a towpath and riverside walk along the C.& H.N. and the A.& C.N. between Sowerby Bridge and Castleford and from Leeds to Castleford, and on to Goole. From the outset he called it the Aire-Calder Walk.
Shortly afterwards he invited me to accompany him along the A.& C.N. between Knottingley and Whitley Bridge. To many this section might appear to be relatively featureless, but what struck me was his very careful observation of many details duly-recorded and photographed - a brand of dedication which ran through his life!
Certainly in the period I knew him, he did not own a car. Like the early days of Alfred Wainwright's explorations in the Lake District, he made full use of rail and bus. His knowledge of timetables in the North of England was immense.
For some reason or other, I never visited Geoff at his home. When I telephoned him his wife of 57 years, Kath, would hail him to come down from some upper point. In my minds eye I visualised a figure descending from some lofty eyrie where he had been putting in neat and special order the day's "rich pickings". I can only imagine that his immense "library" might take some sorting?
It was highly appropriate that the last fairly energetic walk I did with Geoff about three years ago was truly South Pennine in nature. We started from Lumbutts and ascended via the popular stone trod on to the Pennine Way to the southern tip of Warland Reservoir. Then we descended to the historic tollhouse at Steanor Bottom. As we waited for the bus back to Tod (as he called it) he announced his retirement from such masochism and from then on would stick to leisurely walks with the canal and historical societies of which he was a member.
There will be several facets of his ability which I have not touched upon. However, one was that BW's Chief Mining Engineer at Leeds, Malcolm Stakes, would turn to Geoff at times for some assistance with survey work!
I am sure that several local organisations, including CNS and HCS, will wish to extend their heartfelt gratitude and condolences to Kath and her family."
Gerry Turner
BW Leisure & Tourism Officer, North East (Retired)
"I can confirm the bit about Malcolm Stakes. At one HCS meeting in the wilds of either Marsden or Slaithwaite, when Geoff was doing a slide show on his great love, Standedge Tunnel, we were amazed to find that this worthy had travelled miles to hear Geoff speak!
I did offer several times, on behalf of the Society, to try to arrange funding for a publication, but I suspect Geoff's work was never complete and, in any case, he was never one to seek the limelight."
Trevor Ellis