Harrogate resident Guy Tweedy
Harrogate resident Guy Tweedy

Harrogate man’s cherry tree tribute to former headmaster

30 May 2016

A Harrogate man has paid tribute to his former headmaster by having a dozen cherry trees planted in his memory.

Guy Tweedy has paid for 12 saplings to be placed alongside one of the paths on Tewitt Well Stray, to remember Geoffrey Raspin, the former head of Grosvenor House Prep School.

Mr Raspin, a former Grosvenor pupil who died from cancer in February aged 72, returned to his old school in the early 1970s as an assistant to the then Headmaster, Desmond Thompson.

In 1974, after becoming Headmaster himself, Mr Raspin relocated the school from Duchy Road to Swarcliffe Hall, in Birstwith.

Mr Tweedy said:

I had the utmost respect for Geoffrey Raspin. He was a fantastic teacher, a superb mentor and had great empathy with all his pupils.

After leaving Grosvenor I kept in regular contact with him, right up until his death. I spoke to his widow, Ruth, before going ahead, and these 12 cherry trees are my personal tribute to him.

The cherry trees are a prominent and popular feature of The Stray, these 12 will remind me of Geoffrey every time I walk past them or look out of my window.

Harrogate resident Guy Tweedy and one of the 12 trees planted in memory of his former Headmaster, Geoffrey Raspin
Harrogate resident Guy Tweedy and one of the 12 trees planted in memory of his former Headmaster, Geoffrey Raspin

These 12 cherry trees take the total number paid for by Mr Tweedy over the last few years to 39.

 

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