Tributes to Jim Lawson, former Scarborough teacher and care home owner

Mr Lawson was born in Leyburn but moved to Darlington as a child where he met wife-to-be- Doreen at North Road Methodist chapel where the couple married in 1961.

Mr Lawson studied PE at Durham University and Carnegie college of Education and went on to become a teacher in Richmond, North Yorkshire where the couple welcomed their first child, Nigel.

Attracted by a teaching post at Scarborough Boys High School, the family moved to Ravenscar where they welcomed two more children, Susan and Michael.

Mr Lawson taught Geography and PE at the school before going on to teach at George Pindar and finally Brompton Hall Special School where he fully engaged in the boarding school activities and set up the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme.

After retiring from teaching, the family bought The Beeches Residential Care Home in Cloughton, which Mr Lawson successfully ran for sixteen years before retiring to spend time at his homes in Scotland, Spain and France.

Members of the 123-year-old Scarborough 40 Club, of which Mr Lawson was a member for almost three decades, paid tribute to the man they called ‘Gentleman Jim’.

Club treasurer Mark Vesey said: “Jim was an excellent speaker and was always generous with his praise of other speaker’s talks.

“He thought a great deal about the lack of leadership shown by politicians and the state of our society and community and what that means for young people.

“Jim was a humble man, a humanist and an environmentalist.

“He cared deeply for his fellow humans, animals and the planet we all live on.

“His guiding light was Christianity and he was always an active part of the church in Cloughton.

“Jim was president of the Club between 1995 and 1996 and later served as treasurer for several years.

“Like a true Yorkshireman he loved his cricket, his dogs and his roast dinners."Characters like Jim are few and far between in this life and I feel very privileged to have met him and enjoyed some fantastic debates and fun with him.

“He will be greatly missed by us all.”

Mr Lawson’s funeral will take place at 12 noon on Wednesday October 19 at Seamer Methodist Church and afterwards at Scarborough Crematorium.

Donations to Seamer Methodist Church