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I am very sad indeed to inform GWF members that Tom Rutherford died this afternoon. There can be very few members of this forum who have not been assisted by his erudition, impressed by his power of argument or tickled by his wit. He had been diagnosed with terminal cancer some time ago but, typically, did not want what he would have termed a ‘mawkfest’ on the forum and we respected his wishes.
Tom was a kenspeckle figure – in many ways, birdlike, having a sparse frame and restless inquisitiveness - a wee mannie with an enormous character to compensate. He was born into a poor family in Dundee and had no higher education but he was phenomenally widely-read and proficient in the realms of higher mathematics and, although he only played the moothie and autoharp ‘by ear’, he also had a wide understanding and appreciation of classical music. Those of us who knew him well were treated to tales related to his many jobs – soldier in the Black Watch; messenger for a London firm of insurers; cleaner of government offices; foreman on a building site; computer technician; sales assistant at B&Q and union representative amongst them – and we would urge him to write them down. Sadly, he never did – it would have been an autobiography worth reading.
I shall miss him more than I can say and the forum will be a poorer place for his passing. RIP Tom.
Remembered Today:
