Remembering life at Guy’s Cliffe House

Roy Robinson died, aged 79, of blood cancer in August and last week many of his friends gathered to spread his ashes at Guy’s Cliffe House - where he was one of the last ever residents.

In 1943 he was transferred from a Lincolnshire Workhouse at the age of 13, and went on to spend two years under the humanitarian regime of Boys’ Home master Paul Field. Before he died he was able to write a book about his life which, thanks to the editing work of his close friend Terry Roberts, now looks set to be published.

Much of his life was dedicated to helping others and being involved with the community, particularly working as a teacher and residential carer to mentally handicapped children in Warwick and Stratford.

He was a member of the Friends of Guy’s Cliffe, and coached the Leamington Table Tennis team to five consecutive title wins.

Mr Roberts said: “Roy was a character and was well respected by members of the community and anyone who knew him.

“He sang at All Saints church in Emscote, where he was involved with many of the youth groups, and actually once sang for the Queen Mother at Westminster Abbey. He also made a film which was shown in Coventry.

“He eventually found some of his family but never contacted them. He never asked for anything but was very well respected. A lot of people turned up from around the country when we scattered his ashes last week.”

In the book Roy talks of his memories of first arriving at the “breathtaking” house and added: “I’d been a persistent runaway from my previous homes. But I never ran away from Guys Cliffe.”