Obit: Chris Rockliffe

Subject: Obit: Chris Rockliffe
From: Paul Burke
Date: 27 Jun 08 - 07:46 AM

I've been hanging back on this, as I seem to have delivered more than my share of bad news recently, but no one else has posted, so here it is. This appeared on uk.music.folk this morning:

I know that most of you knew Chris through his postings here and that he was part and parcel of many spirited discussions. Chris was diagnosed with advanced stage prostate cancer last March and we were all hoping that he'd make it through so that he and his longtime partner, Fiona would be married on July 2.

I knew Chris from his postings on this NG and another, rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic. Chris was also one of the organisers for a gathering of acoustic guitar enthusiasts that took place in Buxton every year. It was at one of these gatherings that I spent a lot of time with Chris and Fiona and found out that they had two of the biggest hearts in the world and that Chris was really an old softie inside. He certainly was a champion for music. He was a great friend and I will miss him terribly. Below is an email that was posted on RMMGA today from Alan Marshall.

Debra Cowan



IT is my very sad duty to inform you all that Chris Rockcliffe died
this afternoon in hospital as a result of total organ failure caused
by his recently diagnosed prostate cancer.

Fiona, his partner of many years rang to tell me the news this
evening. She has friends looking after her and will not be alone at
least for a few days.

On a lighter note, Chris and his playing buddy Bernie Dart, played two
gigs less than two weeks ago to a great reception and he was in good
spirits up until the last couple of days.

I have no details of the funeral at the moment but will let you know
as soon as I have details.
Anyone who would like to send cards please send them to me and I will
be certain to make sure Fiona gets them in time.

The address to send them to is;

Alan Marshall
Northworthy
Main Road
Hulland Ward
Ashbourne
Derbyshire
DE6 3EA
England

If you would prefer to e-mail your condolences then please send them
to me at alan at northworthy dot com and I will print them out and pass them
on to her.


Chris was a great bloke and a great musician.

Subject: RE: Obit: Chris Rockliffe
From: Amos
Date: 27 Jun 08 - 11:51 AM

played two gigs less than two weeks ago to a great reception and he was in good spirits up until the last couple of days

Jaysus...how she sneaks up on you, this thing called dying, and is so often unseen until it has done its work and is gone on to sneak into someone else's party. My condolences to those who knew Chris.


A

Subject: RE: Obit: Chris Rockliffe
From: mandotim
Date: 27 Jun 08 - 11:59 AM

Chris was a great promoter of all kinds of music,and his various gatherings of musicians around Buxton were always great fun and full of fine music, not least from the man himself and his old Martin D35. We'll miss him round here; another good man gone.
Tim

Subject: RE: Obit: Chris Rockliffe
From: Silas
Date: 27 Jun 08 - 12:34 PM

Sad news indeed. Never met the guy but have been involved in many threads with him on ukfm.

Best wishes to his family.

Subject: RE: Obit: Chris Rockliffe
From: treewind
Date: 27 Jun 08 - 02:42 PM

What Silas said. I've had a few disagreements with him on line, but he argued his case well and had some interesting ideas, and he was certainly a recognisable personality in ukmf; I'm unaccountably shocked to hear of his death, considering I didn't really know him at all.

RIP Chris
Anahata

Subject: RE: Obit: Chris Rockliffe
From: DebC
Date: 27 Jun 08 - 11:31 PM

I thought about posting this on Mudcat, but since Chris never visited here (as far as I knew) I wasn't sure how many folks knew him. he was much more active on Usenet as Paul and Anahata have mentioned.

I feel very lucky to count Chris and Fi as good friends and my life is certainly richer. There are some wonderful tributes (and some great stories) to him over on rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic that pretty much sum up who Chris was and why we all loved him.

Take a wander over to RMMGA. I am at the Old Songs Festival in Albany, NY this weekend, but I did get myself a plastic cup of ale and quietly toasted a friend who did anything he could to keep the music going.

Debra Cowan

Subject: RE: Obit: Chris Rockliffe
From: GUEST,Stu
Date: 01 Jul 08 - 12:15 PM

A wonderful man, a real gentle giant, I've played with him at Club accoustic and various sessions in Buxton for the last five years or so. He'll be greatly missed. A sad time for all in the Buxton music community. The funeral is at Macclesfield crematorium on Tuesday the 8th of July at 3pm.