Tributes paid to Scarborough solicitor Mick Thorpe

Mick Thorpe was born on April 2, 1931 in Hull. He grew up in the city where he lived with his father Clifford Thorpe, mother Phyllis and elder brother Peter.

He trained to become a solicitor at the University of Manchester before attending Law School in Guildford.

After graduation he became an Articled Clerk at Payne & Payne Solicitors in Hull and went on to manage the Payne & Payne office in Scarborough in April 1955.

Mr Thorpe bought the practice in 1956 and Thorpe & Co was founded.

A great fan of motorsport Mr Thorpe travelled to the Monza Grand Prix in 1957 with two friends.

One of the friends became unwell and they ended up at the British American Hospital in Nice, France.

The nursing team was British and he eventually exchanged addresses with Sheila Macfarlane from Selkirk, Scotland.

On returning to the UK Sheila decided to find a job in Scarborough and the inevitable happened.

They married on 4 April 1961.

The couple had six children Martin, Richard, Chris, Malcolm, Fiona and Greg, and later ten grandchildren, Ben, Lucy, Paddy, Ananya, Janaya, Tejas, Matthew, Charlotte, Millie and Sophie.

Mr Thorpe joined Scarborough Round Table in the late 50s, “enjoying a lively lifestyle and doing some imaginative things”.

He was elected to represent East Yorkshire at the National Council and then as National President in 1971.

In the same year, Mr and Mrs Thorpe represented the National Round Table on a tour to Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa.

On leaving Round Table as required at the age of 41, Mr Thorpe was invited to assist with the formation of a second Rotary Club (Scarborough Cavaliers) in Scarborough.

He was the founding Chairman and encouraged a close relationship with Rotarians in the Netherlands who, like him, had started in Round Table.

Mr Thorpe was a founding trustee, and subsequently chairman of Saint Catherine’s Hospice, having joined local doctors and other local professionals to propose the opening of a Hospice in Scarborough.

He chaired a committee of the Chairmen of independent hospices and then became Chair of Help the Hospices (now Hospice UK).

Mr Thorpe was an active member of the Roman Catholic Church, Trustee of the Diocese of Middlesbrough and spent over 50 years as a Catenian.

He was the recipient of the Bene Merenti Medal from the Pope, awarded for long and exceptional service to the Catholic church.

A lifelong supporter of Hull City Football Club, Mr Thorpe was a director of the club during the 80s and 90s.

He was thrilled to be at Wembley when they won the play off final, and also at both the semi-final and final of the FA Cup in 2014, although disappointed at Arsenal’s extra time winner in the latter.

Mr Thorpe’s funeral will be held on Thursday, May 23 at 1.30pm at St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, Green Lane, Scarborough. Donations to Alzheimer’s Society.

Further enquiries – B Bernard and Sons, Scarborough.