Alan Cliff 1936-2020

It is with great sadness that the family of the Reverend Frank Alan Cliff announced his passing after a long illness, on 26^th October 2020, aged 84 years.

Alan was born in Morecambe, Lancashire in 1936. He attended the Lancaster Royal Grammar , leaving in 1955 to begin studying for a degree in law at St John’s College, Oxford. During his second year, he felt a strong calling to join the ministry, having been influenced by the Evangelist Billy Graham. After completing his degree, he gained a place at Fitzwilliam College to study Theology.

In 1960 Alan started his career as a Methodist minister, the same year he married his wife Rosemary. They went on to have four children. Later he served in Edinburgh and Wrexham, where he was Superintendent at both. He was much loved by his congregations for his passionate preaching and excellent pastoral care. Dogged by ill health, he retired in 1987.

As a means of recovery, Alan was encouraged to take up writing. He wrote a popular long-running series in the British Railway Magazine called ‘Lock’s Siding’ which led onto a series of children’s books called ‘The Adventures of Jack the Station Cat’. Alan was a life-long train enthusiast, building up a large collection of scale models and memorabilia and was a great supporter of railway preservation.

Alan was everyone’s friend and really enjoyed meeting people, being genuinely interested in them. He will be remembered as one of life’s true gentlemen and will be hugely missed by all his family and many friends.