We are very sad to record the death of the Club’s former Vice-President Maurice Rothwell, at the age of 87. Kathleen Tootill wrote to the Chairman on 26th October to say:
Maurice Rothwell died at 5 a.m. today, after enjoying a weekend at Llangollen watching canoeing, in Hope Hospital, very near his home. For some 30 years a Vice-President of the Canoe-Camping Club (1957-1988), Maurice was concerned with the original canoe-campers who formed our club and with Manchester Canoe Club, of which he was Hon. Sec. from 1946 until only a few years ago. Over many years, MCC and the CCC north western group shared weekend meets, with members of both clubs welcome at all meets. Maurice’s speciality was the slaloms into which he put endless work and time. He was very hospitable and every year had open house to lots of us with films and food and friendship. When he stopped paddling himself he still generously filled up his cars and roof racks with those still active.
Writing about him in Canoe-Camper in 1957, on his appointment as Vice-President of the Club, Kathleen (then Editor) said: “he is the very embodiment of happy adventuring, responsible and carefree, generous in help to the beginner; where he is there is fair play, co-operation, tranquillity and good humour, be it in the Canoe-Camping Club, Manchester Canoe Club or British Canoe Union.”
Kathleen Tootill