THREE residents of Tavistock are to be made honoured burgesses of the town this spring. The title is given by the town council to people who have rendered eminent and distinguished service to Tavistock. The town already has three honoured burgesses, who were honoured in April 2005: Jean Burleigh-Taylor, Betty Lobb and Stuart Cole. The new burgesses will be Gill Gorbutt, Gerry Woodcock and Russell Woolcock. Mrs Gorbutt said: 'It's an amazing surprise — and a great shock. I am very honoured although I'm sure there are far more deserving people around Tavistock than me. 'I don't know what it means in real terms, but it's very nice to be honoured by the town in this way.' A teacher of English and drama, Mrs Gorbutt moved to Tavistock from Brentor in 1987. She worked for Help the Aged for 14 years and helped set up what is now known as Tavistock Area Support Services. A town councillor for nine years, she was elected mayor of Tavistock in 1997. Chairman of Tavistock Farmers' Market Association, Mrs Gorbutt is also a trustee of Westden, the Santa Rosa Fund and Tamwed and is involved in a wide variety of organisations in Tavistock, including the Citizens Advice Bureau, Age Concern and the Integrated Arts Group. Gerry Woodcock was born in Leicestershire and read history at Cambridge. He moved to Tavistock in 1966 when he became head of history at Tavistock College and later head of the sixth form, a post from which he retired in 1995. He has written and lectured on the history of Tavistock for many years, is closely involved in the town's history society and has written a series of 14 volumes of 'Tavistock's Yesterdays', plus other historical books. Mr Woodcock said: 'This is quite a thrill. It's a very great honour and I feel an honour which is given by your own local community, by people you know, means more in my book than any national award or honour.' Russell Woolcock said he was delighted to have been recognised by the council in this way. He said: 'I am rather surprised but thrilled they should have chosen me. 'I've had a long association with Tavistock, I've been working here since 1944 so it's quite a long time, but I am really very surprised and pleased — it's an honour.' Mr Woolcock joined Ward and Chowen, the town's oldest business, when he was 16, and apart from a spell on National Service, has worked for the company ever since. He has taken an active role in many local societies and organisations, particularly those associated with agriculture. He has been involved with Dartmoor Commoners' Association since 1953 and played a part in the drafting of the Dartmoor Commons Act. Mr Woolcock has been secretary of the West of England Show for more than 40 years, and is the long-standing president of Tavistock Young Farmers' Club. He is also involved with a variety of local charities, including the Marshals and Browns Almshouse charity, the Bawden Trust and the Watts Charity and organisations such as the Rotary Club — he is a founder member of Tavistock Round Table Club. The three new Honoured Burgesses will receive their certificates and mementoes at a formal ceremony in Tavistock Town Hall on April 28.
