My friend John Rumsby, a museum curator, who has died from cancer aged 75, brought an appreciation of social history to the community where he lived and worked. Collections manager at Kirklees Museums, West Yorkshire, before his retirement on health grounds in 2007, he continued to publish meticulously researched articles and books on military history, local history and numismatics.
Born in Plaistow, east London, John was one of the three sons of Eva (nee Harvey), and Ken, a solicitor’s clerk. He attended Stratford grammar school and, from an early age, dragged his family to castles, churches and other places that interested him.
