By: Adam Coe
A memorial garden for Ron Weir, a lecturer in Economic History at the University of York for almost 40 years, was inaugurated on Saturday to a crowd of alumni and current students.
The garden sits outside Block A of Derwent College, where he was provost from 1989-2000. The idea of the creation of a memorial garden stems from donations made in tribute to Weir by his former students. £4000 was raised by last year’s Big D event alone, which played host to Audio Bullys and Chase & Status.
Tree plantings by a host of former Derwent JCRC Chairs complemented the proceedings, which coincides with the college’s 45th birthday.
Dr. Rob Aitken, the current provost of Derwent College, described the garden as, “A green heart for the college, softening its hard urban look and creating an outdoor social space.”
Aitken also pointed out that the memorial events for Weir are hosted in conjunction with wider Derwent Day celebrations.
“[This] is also about carrying forward Ron Weir’s legacy and the affection in which he was held [and] encouraging greater engagement between alumni and current students.”
Weir passed away last year and almost 100 people attended the memorial event to pay tribute to a man described by former colleague Dr. Sue Mendus as, “the most complete person, and the most complete academic I have ever met.”
Esteemed novelist Alison Weir, the late provost’s sister-in-law, was also there offering advice to students about the literary world.
