Alfred Robert Lee “Bob” Ratcliffe
A farewell to Bob Ratcliffe by Chairman of the Friends Michael Bailey. Featured in The Friends of Rochester Cathedral Annual Report for 2018/2019.
Members will have been saddened to hear of the passing of Bob who died on the 5th December 2018 aged 82 years.
Although he was originally from Godalming in Surrey, having been born there on 27th June 1936, Bob moved to Rochester with his family at the age of 9 years, residing at 215 Maidstone Road while his mother was a teacher at the Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School for Boys. From that time the City became his home – a place to which he was dedicated throughout his life.
When he left King’s Rochester he studied architecture at Canterbury College of Art, working for a time in Faversham before spending 36 years in the County Architect’s department in Maidstone, retiring as Principal Architect and Group Leader, back then a large department with four groups.
Bob and his wife Margaret were married in the Cathedral in 1962 – a place they both loved and where they regularly worshipped and volunteered throughout their life together. Bob was an enthusiastic Steward and enjoyed sharing his extensive knowledge of the Cathedral building when guiding visitors.
As part of his service to the Cathedral Bob became a member of the Association of the Friends of Rochester Cathedral and was elected to the Council of the Friends in 2000.
He became its Chairman in 2004, a position which he held for a total of 6 years. Bob was instrumental in developing the Vision of the Friends in their support of the Cathedral. He was totally loyal and committed to the task of ensuring that this vision was carried out and to encouraging others who shared this common purpose. Bob’s knowledge of the Cathedral, the people who worked and worshipped there and its everyday life and developmental priorities was key when he identified projects for the Friends to support and be submitted for consideration by the Chapter.
A great love and student of history, and of Rochester in particular, resulted in Bob’s being a founder member of the City of Rochester Society. In recognition of his outstanding work he ultimately became its President. He was a considerable author of several published books, a supporter of the Medway Archives and Local Studies Centre and a speaker at a number of local and family history societies. Bob was a formidable campaigner on local issues, holding the historical and architectural interests of the City close to his heart. It is a truism to say that Bob was in fact regarded as the Mr Rochester!
For all that Bob has given to our Association, to our ancient Cathedral and City, our warmest gratitude and appreciation are boundless.
During his lifetime Bob was always well supported by his loving wife Margaret, herself a past Member of the Council of Friends and who continues to be a Cathedral Steward, and by his sons: Michael (who was a verger at Rochester Cathedral until he sadly passed away on 4th December 1995 at the age of 30 following a life-long battle with Leukaemia) and Andrew, as well as daughter-in-law Audrey, whom Andrew married in the Cathedral in 1998 [keeping tradition alive], and now Grand-daughter Elyse.
It has always been a joy for me and my other Council members to work closely with Bob
on the Council and beyond and to enjoy his delightful sense of humour. I have much to be grateful to him for his personal loyalty and support provided over the years. We all felt much better after being in his lively and knowledgeable company – a real example of what a good friend is all about and a good Christian man.
Bob’s funeral was held in the Cathedral Quire on 20th December, his coffin draped in the Northbourne Pall. Needless to say the service was well attended, with some travelling hundreds of miles to attend, a tribute to the esteem and affection with which Bob was held across and beyond Rochester. This was no more fittingly apparent as, when Bob was carried, his coffin draped in the historic City of Rochester flag through an escort of Cathedral Stewards and departed the Cathedral for the last time, with the masonry of the mediæval buildings of both Cathedral and Castle bathed in winter sunlight, all eyes witnessed the Castle with the Union Flag at half mast!l
Bob’s ashes will be interred in the Cathedral Garth in the spring – close to where Michael rests.
Michael Bailey
Chairman of the Friends
Featured in The Friends of Rochester Cathedral Annual Report for 2018/2019.
Friends of Rochester Cathedral Annual Reports
The Friends of Rochester Cathedral were founded to help finance the maintenance of the fabric and grounds. The Friends’ annual reports have become a trove of articles on the fabric and history of the cathedral.
The Friends of Rochester Cathedral were founded to help finance the maintenance of the fabric and grounds. The Friends’ annual reports have become a trove of articles on the fabric and history of the cathedral.
Canons, colleagues, volunteers and staff have shared their memories and reflections in many forms over the years.