Dr Harry Edward MbeCRAMPFormer GP and Mayor of Great Torrington, Dr Harry Cramp, died peacefully on 9th June 2022, aged 90. Harry was the much-loved husband of the late Cynthia; father of Jennifer, Abigail, Annette, Matthew, Geoffrey, Justine, Samantha and Nathaniel; grandfather and great-grandfather to many more. Born in Hastings in 1932, he moved around the country with his parents before they settled near Tavistock. He graduated from Bristol Medical School and spent his National Service with the Royal Army Medical Corps in Nepal, before starting work at the Bristol Maternity Hospital where he met his wife, Cynthia, whom he married in 1960. He moved on to a GP practice in Bristol before relocating his ever-growing family to Great Torrington in 1968, setting up a new practice and overseeing the building of the town's new health centre. Over the next five decades he was very active on local committees and community groups, serving as a town councillor for many years and Mayor on three separate occasions (1977, 1978 and again in 1999) during which time he opened both the swimming pool and the Plough Arts Centre. More recently, he was the chairman of the Great Torrington and District Community Development Trust and the Genesis Project, which raised over a million pounds in funding for local causes. He was also instrumental in the formation of the Buildings Preservation Trust, which helped restore the Town Hall, the Torrington Together project and Torrington and District Men's Shed. He would continue to tirelessly support numerous local causes and charitable organisations right up to his death. An Honorary Freeman of the town, in 1998 he was awarded an MBE by the Queen for his services to the community. Funeral Service at St Michael & All Angels Church, Great Torrington on Wednesday, June 29th at 2pm, followed by private interment. Family flowers only, but donations in lieu for Torrington Community Food Bank and Torrington and District Men's Shed may be made at the service or sent to R. Gist & Son, 18 Castle Street, Torrington EX38 8EZ.
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