George Temperley Kirk

I remember George and Lee Kirk when they lived near the Postern in Tonbridge. They were both very very kind to me as a single parent with a baby son and I remember their house always being full of children, animals, love and compassion. RIP George Caroline Linehan

We have known George for many years - first as a fellow parent at Shipbourne Primary School, a tiny village school in Kent. Tall and spare in figure, George was nethertheless a genial Father Christmas with a merry 'Ho Ho Ho' (and a bit of padding) each December. Later on, we met once again at the Oast Theatre in Tonbridge, Kent, a theatre which owes its existence to a small band of enthusiasts in the 1970s who helped fund the transformation from a working oast to the successful and thriving theatre it is today. Luckily for us, George was one of this small band.

An occasional actor, George was cast in a play I directed last year and it was a great sadness for us all that he had to pull out at the last moment as his illness escalated. This is his portrait, especially painted by artist, Annette Tranter, which we used on set and which is now owned by his wife, Lee. I am so glad that she has this and hope it will give her some comfort at this sad time. He was asked to look stern and formal for the portrait but I must emphasise this was not his natural demeanor!

We send our love and condolences to Lee and their family. George was a true gentleman and he will be sadly missed by all of us.

Valerie and Peter Galbraith and family