Geoffrey a man at the very heart of local life

Geoffrey Woodhead

ONE of Saddleworth’s best known men, Geoffrey Woodhead, has died. He was 89.

Mr Woodhead was part of the fabric of Saddleworth life, heavily involved in many local organisations, and held an MBE for services to the textile industry.

His nephew, Kevin Lawton, said his uncle died peacefully in his sleep in Ashbourne House Care Home.

Born in Springhead, Mr Woodhead won a scholarship to Hulme Grammar School, during which time his family moved to Shaw Hall Bank Road, Greenfield, where he lived for the last 77 years.

School gave him a lifelong interest in sport, which led to him playing cricket and football, and winning medals for boxing.

He kept wicket for Saddleworth Cricket Club’s first team, and was a member of the cricket club for more than 75 years.

He was captain of Saddleworth Tennis Club, and played rugby for Saddleworth Rangers.

He was a member of Saddleworth Golf Club for more than 55 years, during which time he held the roles of captain, secretary, president and finance chairman.

He was an honorary life member and a trustee, and wrote a history of the club which was published to commemorate its centenary.

Mr Lawton said his uncle had led a fulfilling and enjoyable life.

He spent his working life in the textile industry, including a period as head of Lancashire Cotton Corporation’s technology department.

He was a Fellow of the Textile Institute, and worked in Jordan, Russia and Australia re-organising textile industries

He was secretary and a trustee of Saddleworth Museum, and his interest in local history led him to research and publish pamphlets on Annie Kenny, a suffragette of Springhead and Major Ivan Hirst, of Grasscroft, who helped in the post-war reconstruction of the Volkswagen factory in Germany.

In 1994 he became a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

He was a freemason for more than 50 years, and worshipful master of the Stalybridge Lodge in 1966/67, serving as its district representative for more than 30 years.

Mr Woodhead, who was a bachelor, was in the Home Guard based at Springhead Drill Hall for a period before his war service, and served in the RAF from 1939 to 1946.

He spent three-and-a-half years fighting the Japanese in Burma, for which he was awarded several campaign medals — and where he had a pet monkey called Jackson.

Mr Woodhead wrote about his wartime experiences in a booklet he had published.

His funeral will be held on Monday at Christ Church, Friezland, at 11am.