Tribute: Gordon Knight

Gordon Knight, who died from liver cancer on 7 June, came to live in Wendover with his wife, Eileen, in 1969.

After leaving school, he qualified as a quantity surveyor. He then had a distinguished career with Taylor Woodrow before “retiring” 10 years ago.

Until his death, he was very active on several fronts. He was a governor at the John Colet school, where he had responsibility for the capital building programme and his talents were particularly appreciated.

He was a keen member of the Liberal Democrat party. In Wendover, he organised the Liberal/Liberal Democrat presence for over three decades and stood as a candidate for both the district and county council. He was also chairman of the constituency party. One of Gordon’s last projects was to organise the Green Fair in Wendover in March of this year.

Gordon had a very incisive mind and this gave him a significant influence in the strategy and policy development of the party. But, unlike many “thinkers”, he was always prepared to get involved with the detailed “nitty-gritty” of political campaigning and the boring repetitive taks that have to be done so that a political party can operate effectively.

Another of Gordon’s passions was steam trains. His wife Eileen is from Wales where they also have a home. Gordon helped to man the Welshpool steam railway, where he functioned as guard, signalman and stoker.

Gordon will be sorely missed by all who knew him and the gap left by him will be very difficult to fill. He leaves his wife Eileen, his sons Colin and Ian and his daughter Ceri.