Tribute to Bury's RGP Architect boss Terry Ratcliffe MBE

Terry Ratcliffe, MBE, was a pioneer in the development of out-of-town retail stores and was born and raised in Bury on Laurel Street.

He made a huge impact locally and in retail architecture across the UK during his career.

Terry was the only child of Jack and Alice Ratcliffe, who managed various pubs on Rochdale Road, eventually running a fish and chip shop in the 1960s.

Terry Ratcliffe, MBE (Image: Public)

Terry was a keen athlete on the track, roads, country, fells and mountains, chairing Bury Athletic Club for more than 40 years, after joining aged 12.

He went to Manchester University School of Architecture and met Molly Adlem, from Bury, before they married in 1956 while he was still a student.

They bought Ivy House in Holcombe Brook which remained their family home for 50 years and had four children together.

The same year as their twins were born, in 1965, meaning there were four children aged under four years old in the house at that time, Terry set up his own business, RGP Architects.

He worked hard at developing his business and carried on his passion for running and athletics in his free time.

His firm went on to develop many buildings in Bury, including Craig and Humphrey House, and The Barracks, a luxury office conversion of a former MOD quartermasters store.

Read more: Terry is the architect behind 50 years of business success 

Terry Ratcliffe, MBE (Image: Public)

In 1972, he also redeveloped the Bury Unitarian Church site on Silver Street, which included an office block and a new church that opened in 1974.

He was said to be proud of this development and often said there were very few living architects who could claim to have designed and built a new church.

He loved travelling, especially abroad, and the work he undertook with the YMCA enabled him to visit Siberia and Eastern Europe many times as well as Colorado, Aruba in Venezuela, Argentina among other destinations.

He encouraged his family to travel and was key in the inception of the Interrail scheme linked to the YMCA in Europe and he even sent the twins on one of their first-ever Interrail summer trips in 1982.

Terry was also a magistrate in Bury for 17 years and in 1987 he was awarded an MBE for his extensive charity work and work with young people, especially with the YMCA.

By the 1990s, RGP Architects had offices in London, Perth, Glasgow and Luton but the head office has always remained on Manchester Road, Bury, where it remains to this day.

In recent years Terry has lived with his second wife Trish in Newchurch, Rossendale, and they have enjoyed holidays together returning to their favourite place St Lucia on a number of occasions.

In recent years, Trish has devoted her time to caring for Terry as his mobility decreased.

His extreme running challenges, which he did in his 60s, may have contributed to his health in his later years but he had not regrets from doing the activity such was the pleasure he got out of it.

Speaking to the Bury Times in 2015, Terry reflected on the previous five decades of his life.

He said: “We’ve been through many recessions, seen different governments and had an amazing journey.

Terry Ratcliffe, MBE (Image: Public)

“Not many businesses reach 50-years-old and I’m proud to have great staff and clients who have supported us over the years.

“I’m also proud to have trained more than 70 young people since starting the company."

Aged 81 then, he was still working full-time.

After a short illness, Terry died peacefully at his home in Newchurch on October 29.

Trish, his four children, two stepchildren and 11 grandchildren have all paid their respects and shred their memories of weekends spent travelling to watch him running or visiting a building site.

His funeral will be taking place on Thursday, November 17 at Bury Parish Church.

The service will begin at 10.15am and only family flowers have been asked for.

The family have also added that donations or cheques should be made payable to either the YMCA or Rossendale Hospice.