Tributes paid to York karate ‘legend’ Gordon Thompson (From York Press)

Tributes paid to York karate ‘legend’ Gordon Thompson

9:59am Friday 5th March 2010 in

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TRIBUTES have been paid to Gordon Thompson – one of the “founding fathers of karate in the North of England” – who has died, aged 79.

York-born Thompson is credited with bringing the martial art to the city in the 1960s, and then spreading the word about karate across the region.

When he founded his first club in the city in 1962, York Shotokan Karate Club was one of only two in the North of England.

He was instrumental in setting up clubs in Harrogate, Leeds, Huddersfield, Rotherham and Sunderland and he represented York at the inaugural meeting of the Karate Union of Great Britain in 1966.

After a spell working in South Africa in the late 1960s, Thompson returned to York and helped form the York Kenshinkan Karate Club at Imphal Barracks.

Ian MacLaren, a co-founder of Kenshinkan, who later set up Huby’s Torashin Club, said: “Gordon and I go back so many years that I find it hard to comprehend that he is not there any more.

“Gordon had a somewhat stern, gruff persona that masked a heart of pure gold. He helped many people over the years, and never asked for praise or compensation.

“His contribution to karate was immense. In his passing, the world of karate has lost one of its founding fathers, and is diminished by that loss.”

MacLaren teamed up with Heslington-based Thompson to write two karate books, focusing on weaponry.

Away from karate, Thompson worked as an apprentice at York Carriageworks and as a joiner at the University of York, while also spending his National Service in Egypt.

Arnie Gomersall, chairman of York Kenshinkan Karate Club, worked with Thompson at the Carriageworks.

He said: “Gordon was one of the founding fathers of karate in this country, particularly in York and the North of England, and I will miss him greatly. I owe him a great deal and without him I would never have achieved the success in the art of karate that I have. The Kenshinkan Club is very proud to have had Gordon as our leader and will always strive to keep his memory alive in the years to come.”

Members of the York, Haxby and Selby Shotokan karate clubs, issued a joint statement, which read: “Gordon was well known and respected as one of the founding fathers of karate in York.

“Always keen to train and ready to teach and help others, he was one of karate’s characters and his loss will leave karate in York a duller and less knowledgeable place.

“It is unlikely his like will pass this way again.”

Former European champion Ian Tate, who is also Kenshinkan chief instructor, said he was one of the many people who owed their success in karate to Thompson.

“Gordon was York’s first black belt and he had 50 years involved in karate, never taking a penny,” he said. “Without people like him, there is no karate.

“He must have trained thousands of people and one of his most famous students was Steve Cattle, from York, who won numerous titles and represented Great Britain.”

A funeral service will be held at St Paul’s Church, in Heslington, on Wednesday, at 10am, and then at York Crematorium at 11am.

Friends have asked for donations in lieu of flowers to be made to the church and the RNLI.

A gathering will be held at the Black Bull, in Hull Road, after the funeral.

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