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Rochdalians suffer a great loss

16/12/2003

Obituary

TRIBUTES have been paid to Harvey Rawstron, a popular figure in Rochdale sport who died at the age of 64 last week.

A uncompromising cricketer and rugby player, he later became chairman and vice president of Rochdalians CC and occupied the post of vice president with Littleborough RUFC.

Friend, and fellow rugby club legend David Geldard remembered his pal with affection.

"Harvey rose to prominence when, as a fourth former at Rochdale Grammar School, he was selected to play full-back for the first XV while the rest of the squad were athletes from the upper sixth.

"In an important fixture against De La Salle he crash tackled their county winger, propelling the unsuspecting flyer backward nearly as quickly as he arrived.

"Head of rugby and classics, Paul Rushworth, eulogised that this was the most perfect textbook tackle he had ever witnessed. It was to be the first of many, many more."

After leaving school Rawstron played for Old Rochdalians - now Littleborough - until the age of 36 but he was forced to retire when his forearm need a plate after a second fracture.

"Opposition teams were much relieved to learn of this unexpected bonus," said Geldard.

During the summer Rawstron turned his hand to cricket, chalking up 35 years' service with Old Rochdalians as a fast bowler and aggressive batsman.

Geldard reminisced: "In a cup game against Fleetwood he opened the batting. The opposition ordered their two best bowlers to remove him with haste, but Harvey proceeded to knock up 50 in a record-breaking 25 minutes."

Away from sport, Rawstron worked as a planning design engineer with Norweb for more than 40 years.

He is survived by wife Barbara and children John and Carol.