It is with sadness we report the death of the former head of theatre studies, David Woodhead, after a long battle with cancer on Sunday 12th of May, aged 67.

At School, David directed many plays and productions including Othello(2009), The Importance of Being Earnest (2010), The 13 Clocks (2010) and The Browning Version (2011).

We understand David requested to have a direct disposal rather than a funeral. We will keep ODs informed of any plans for a memorial service in the future. He is survived by his wife Alex and their son.

David is pictured in the centre of the cast of The 13 Clocks
 

It is with great sadness that we report the death of Mike Weston OD at the age of 85.

Michael Philip Weston(C,1952-56) attended Bow School and Durham School where he excelled academically and at sports, including fives, basketball, athletics, cricket and rugby. As well as being captain of cricket and rugby in his final year, he served as a Monitor and Head of Caffinites House. During his time at Durham School, Mike also began playing Rugby for Durham City and remained involved with the club throughout his life. After Durham School, Mike went on to study at the College of Estate Management. This was the start of a career as an F.R.l.C.S. Chartered Surveyor & Estate Agent.  While in London, Mike played rugby for Richmond.

Mike represented County Durham in both cricket and rugby and went on to play rugby 29 times for England between 1960 and 1968 as both centre and fly-half.  He captained the national side five times, including all three matches of the 1963 tour to Australasia. He also took part in two British Lions tours to South Africa in 1962 and Australia and New Zealand in 1966.

After retiring from playing in 1968, Mike continued to influence the game regionally as a county selector, and on a national level as an England selector, Chairman of Selectors and England Manager during the first Rugby World Cup in 1987.

Mike was a key governor of Durham School during its move away from the Cathedral in the late 1990s and keenly followed the successes of both Bow and Durham Schools in his later years.  Mike’s father, brother, and two sons, Philip, and Robin all attended Durham School.

Our thoughts are with Mike’s wife, Helen, and the family at this difficult time.

In due course, a fuller tribute to Mike will be circulated in the Dunelmian Magazine.

Ray Mayo died on 8 December 2023 at Douglas Macmillan Hospice, Stoke, aged 85.
A keen sportsman, Ray played Cricket and Rugby at school and went on to play rugby for Staffordshire, his adopted county.  After school, Ray became a Chartered Electrical Engineer and worked for the Midlands Electricity Board. 

He continued to play cricket until nearly 60, and remained a keen spectator throughout his life.  He also enjoyed classic cars, particularly Alpha Romeos.

He leaves behind his wife Rosemary, children Louisa and Jeremy, and grandchildren George and Henry.

We are sad to annouce the death of Jonathan Stephen Lee, Deputy Headmaster of Durham School 1983.

Derek Edward Bucknall
Born Stockton -on-Tees  23^rd September 1936 -died 15^th March 2023

Derek Edwin died peacefully on 15th March 2023, aged 86 years, at home in Brockenhurst. Devoted husband to Pamela (Pam); adored father to Jane and Graham and father-in-law to James and Rachel; and proud Grandpa to Tiffany, Madeleine, Amelia, Sam, and Lachie

A bungite, Derek was a monitor, Head of House and Head of School.  He excelled at rugby, playing for the 1^st XV 1953-55., and captained the side for the 1954/55 season. He also played cricket for the 1^st XI.

On leaving school he completed his National Service in the RAF before going up to St.John’s College, Cambridge. There he represented the College First XV and rowed in the lady Margaret Boat Club ‘Rugby’ V111. He started his career in marketing in the ICI Fibres division and in 1978 was drafted into ICI Plastics  with a view to his masterminding the closure of the company.. He managed this process so skilfully that he was head hunted as HR Director to British Aerospace. His career was cruelly cut short by the onset of Guillain-Barré Syndrome which led to his taking early retirement in the early 1980s.

In 1964 he married Pam and they have two children – Jane and Graham. After retirement he and Pam moved to Brockenhurst in the New Forest but he continued to busy himself  in many ways  - He served on the Board of Ransomes; was Chairman of both the North West Hertfordshire Health Authority and the Hertfordshire Police Federation; Was a Trustee of both the RAF Benevolent Fund and the RNID.

Over the years he was a regular attender at the London OD Dinner and  Johnian Society Dinners in London and Cambridge, taking the Chair and  giving the keynote speech on numerous occasions.

George passed away peacefully in North Tees Hospital on Boxing Day, aged 78 Years.

George was involved with both Drama and Chapel at School, and he served as a Chapel Warden during his last two years at School under Headmaster John Brett.  On leaving School he became a surveyor and became the senior surveyor for Northern Rock in the south of the region. As well as being the Hon Surveyor for Stockton CAB, George also served on the Governing Body of Blakeston School, as a well-respected local football referee and scouter.  

A devoted husband to Jacqueline, father to David, father-in-law to Hilary and Grandpa to Oliver. He will be dearly missed by all.  
 
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Tributes have flooded in from clubland for “legendary” Fabric promoter Shaun Roberts who passed away after a terminal cancer diagnosis.
The dance music pioneer was hailed for making risky bookings for the iconic London nightclub and giving chances to unknown DJs.  He documented his fight with colon cancer after being first diagnosed four years ago, raising £160,000 to fight the disease.

In 2020 Shaun was diagnosed with stage four metastatic cancer but outlived the 18 months he was told he had left by doctors.
He was self-funding pioneering immunotherapy at the CeGat Clinic in Tubingen, Germany when he passed away. In November last year, he held a fundraising concert hosted by Annie Mac at Fabric joking he could go to Germany to start treatment and “eat bratwurst” with the bar proceeds.
Fabric announced his death on Twitter on Tuesday, writing: “ Our Shaun… As a team and a family we are devastated at your loss. The dearest friend to us, a cherished Fabric family member, professional raver, passionate music lover, full of strength, determination and so much more. We love you very much.

“You paved the way for so many artists that are now at the top of their game and helped shape Fabric into the club it is today. We are all so grateful. We will miss your humour, your banter, your rants, your anarchy, your cheeky smile and everything amazing that made you, you.”
Radio DJ Lauren Laverne was among the dozens of musicians paying tribute to Mr Roberts.

Hudson Mohawke tweeted: “So sad. Lot of ppl myself included owe him a great deal. Responsible for a lot of pivotal moments in ppls careers / took a lot of risks in the stuff he booked at Fabric. And more importantly just a brilliant guy.” DJ Yoda added: “Rest in peace Shaun Roberts of fabric, who looked out for me early in my career, and was always a lovely guy to be around. My love to anyone close to him.”

He wrote before his tragic death: “I wouldn’t be in this sorry state if I had paid more attention to what my body was telling me. I put it off for ages, made excuses why I was too busy to get to the doctor and told myself it would get better.

“Ultimately that’s my fault. Please don’t be stupid like I was. It’s scary to face it but what I have been through is much worse. Catch cancer early and you will give yourself much better odds of beating it.

“You or someone very close to you is going to get cancer so be prepared. Insist on careful diagnosis from your doctor. Go for a second opinion if you are unsure. Read up on what to look out for.”

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It is with sadness that we report the death of John Hunt Croasdell (S, 1965-71) on Christmas Eve morning, December 2022.

John attended Bow School (1960-65) before moving up to Durham School as a Bungite, where he excelled in sport, drama and academically, winning the Kerr and Jackson prizes.  He was Head of Bungites in his final year (1970-71).

A talented all-round sportsman, John represented the School at Cricket, Rugby, Fives and Fencing, though it is perhaps for his exploits on the rugby field that he is best remembered.  He played prop in the 1970-71 side, one of the most notable sides of a generation.  He also played for the county, Loughborough University and then England U23s, getting two caps against Japan and Tonga.  While a Master at Arnold School he also played for Fylde RFC.
John was also a talented cricketer, and after playing for both the School and Loughborough University, went on to play for Leicestershire 2^nd XI. 

John is remembered as a talented yet humble sportsman who went on to inspire others as a talented player and master at Arnold School and then RGS Worcester.

He will be greatly missed by ODs of his generation.

A full obituary will appear in the Dunelmian in due course.
 

It is with sadness we report the death of Timothy Crispin Newton Hall.  

Our brother Tim's life came to a close peacefully on Sunday 25 September with family around him. He had been diagnosed with a brain tumour in December 2018. Thanks to very aggressive treatment at St, James University Hospital in Leeds (Jimmies), he survived well beyond the initial prognosis of twelve to eighteen months. He is survived by his children, Ben, Sam, and Elizabeth and brothers Nick, Paddy, and Richard

Allan Denis Michelson (P, 1955-1959), passed away after a short illness on 22 September 2022.

It is with sadness we report the death of Dr Alan Johnson OD.

It is with great sadness to announce the death of Peter Kershaw. Born in Cardiff he attended the school from 1944-1949 and was a member of Poole House. At Durham he made a number of life-long friends including David Mort, Geoffrey Greenwell, Derek Baty, Everard Whitehouse and Neville Postleswaite. He also developed his life-long interest in cricket and Bridge-playing. 
After Durham and national service, he went to St. John’s College, Cambridge where he read Modern Languages. His career was mainly with Texaco where he worked in London and Brussels. Upon retiring he was able to focus on his hobbies of Bridge, Golf and Cricket as well as holidays with his beloved wife Emilie, who sadly passed away in 2018. He is survived by his daughter Juliet.
He always talked very fondly about his time at Durham and enjoyed attending OD dinners for many years. 
 

Alan Alfred Francis Terry b.28.05.1937. Loving husband of Cynthia and devoted father of Philip, Alison, Howard and Katharine. Proud Grandfather and Great Grandfather. Caffinite and brother of J.J.H. Terry O.D. In 1954 awarded the Joseph Cowan (Tyne), Palmer Grand (Tyne) Grand and Wharton Challenge Cups (Durham). Rowing 1st VIII 1952 and 1st IV 1954. Rugby 1st XV 1953-54. Became Chartered Civil Engineer and Assistant Director of Highways & Planning for Lincolnshire County Council. Established his own engineering consultancy from 1989 onwards working on projects in the UK and Australia. Commission Royal Engineers 1960. Commanding Officer 111 Engineer Regiment (V) 1981. Deputy Commander 12 Engineer Brigade 1984-87. Colonel T.D. and Deputy Commander of CVHQ R.E. 1987-1990. A.D.C to HM the Queen 1985-1988. Commandant Lincolnshire A.C.F. Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire and J.P.  A private family funeral will be held at St Cuthbert's Church Satley, Co Durham followed by a service of remembrance in Lincoln later in the year.

It is with sadness we announce the death of John Wintersgill OD on 21 August 2021.  There are plans to hold a celebration of John’s life in the first half of 2022.  More details to follow.
 

It is with great sadness we report the death of Tony Tiffin OD.  The funeral will be held on Tuesday 23 November at 2pm at St. Cuthbert’s Church in Darlington followed by refreshments in the Church Hall.
 

We are sad to announce the death of John Timothy Jefferson. John passed away on 19th November 2020 at the age of 63 after contracting pneumonia and his funeral was held on 17th December 2020. John attended Durham School in 1971, becoming a member of The Caffinites. John left school in 1975 where he would pursue a career in Music. A full obituary can be found via the link below.
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Unfortunately, we must announce the death of Colin Mark Fraser. Colin was on holiday when it happened, He went out snorkeling and never came back. He was later found after he had drowned. Colin attended Durham School in 1970, becoming a member of The Caffinites. He left school in 1975 and would later become a professional Diver. His death was sudden and unfortunate and we give our best regards to his wife, Julie Fraser.

We are sad to report the death of John Mills Lishman of Penrith, Cumbria. John passed away on 20th June 2021 at the Cumberland Infirmary at the age of 88. John attended Durham School in 1946 where he was a member of The Caffinites. John left Durham School in 1950 where he would meet his lovely wife Kate and be a much loved uncle. A link to John's full obituary has been provided below.
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John Bond, 07/05/1942–19/12/2020
(Photo taken on his 78th birthday last year. Note the hat.)

To be writing an obituary for my lovely John still seems ridiculous and unreal. How can the man who was challenge, stimulus, friend, whose life was riven through with words and music, who never stopped talking, singing, writing for and playing his guitar, never stopped making puns, how can he be gone? I don’t want to sum him up in a brief life story, though, as for everyone who has lived a bit, there will be so much not known about John and his life.

He arrived at Durham School, probably in 1953. John was the eldest of 4 boys. Durham would not have been a family expectation for his education but for the early death of his father and the Masons stepping in. His mother, who was herself unwell, was offered the opportunity of a boarding school for John and so he, aged 10, was sent to Bushey School, Hertfordshire. He said that he arrived with his mother for what he thought was just a visit and then found that his mother had gone. After a year or so, there was talk that Bushey School was to close and so John was then sent to Durham. Two of his brothers subsequently attended Bushey School, which did not close and so he became largely separated from his whole family for the rest of his childhood. As for so many of us who have lived with and loved men who in their childhood were from their families “untimely ripped”, this combination of experiences never left him.

Durham School was never, ever seen as a negative experience in itself by John. He was, I suspect, a challenge to teach (too clever by half etc.). I found this in his writings: “I loved Dillon. I loved Ma Green. I loved Bobby Smithson who taught me Latin, Greek, cricket and fives. And I loved Harry Perkins, who taught me nothing at all, as I never did biology, but who let me have the run of his amazing hi-fi equipment when he was called away suddenly during term time, because his mother was dying. Thanks to him I played Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Schumann and a whole host of classical composers, while my mates were wandering about downstairs smoking, washing their jockstraps and generally trying to avoid the fascist prefects…”

He hugely valued that extra mile that teachers went to give him such stimulating learning experiences both at school and those important trips away to the Edinburgh Festival, to France and more besides. Being given the run of the Art Room so he could explore his inner Pollock was something he loved. He was a cox for the rowing team and discovered rock and roll, guitars, piano. I think called the Top Gallants, the pop group he was part of played their debut and final concert, one and the same, at the school dance. Whether by design or incidentally, there seemed to have been some element of nurture and warmth that came from the staff which will have helped to ground that lost boy through his teenage years.

For some reason, this brilliant young man ended up taking just two A Levels, putting some limits I suspect on where he might then go to university. Not many English people in the early 60’s went to Queens University. A sequence of good, bad and serendipitous events found John, in his Billy Fury jacket, walking the streets of Belfast, discovering the most amazing people and experiencing his student years amongst such talented peers and at a time that was truly “interesting” and painful for the island of Ireland. He met and married his first wife, Margaret, and had three wonderful children, all now of course in their 50’s and with families of their own. More bits of life and memories that he treasured.

There were episodes in his life that he never stopped mining in his thinking and his writing. His childhood in Teesside was a particularly rich but painful seam for him. One of his plays broadcast on Radio 4, “Volvulus”, was not autobiographical he always said (it was) but was an emotionally true and sensitive account of the death of his father. He won a Sony Award for this. His writing was always high quality, if not always high art. John and a lifelong friend, Jonathan, worked as advertising copy-writers at Radio Tees. At the drop of a hat and entirely unrequested, he could still give a burst of one of his famous radio jingles about Sparkes pasties, Lowcocks lemonade, Mr DIY Building Supplies etc., and they were fun and more clever than they ever needed to be. For many years he earned his living through his writing for various Theatre companies and Theatre in Education. He sat on the Arts Council where he travelled the country to evaluate bids for funding. His geography was not always that great, and he did tell me about turning up at the wrong version of a town in the wrong part of the country for a piece of work that was, I suspect, never done. He had great fun being the Poet in Residence at The Courts, a National Trust garden in our village, an activity that combined his great love of gardens, people and writing, a perfect combination.

And his music and musical abilities have been a thread woven through all chapters of his life. I had a copy of his “greatest hits” CD performed by the Lacklustre Brothers (or John and Jonathan), even before I knew him, from the friend that eventually introduced us, and I loved the sheer wit and harmony of his songs, brilliant for singing at top volume when driving.

He was a brave man and a man of some principle. When the economic changes of the 80’s put paid to most of his professional writing opportunities, he made the excellent decision to meet me and, in his 50’s, became the oldest living PGCE student at Goldsmiths. A more stimulating and creative teacher there never was, unearthing and making real the skills and talents of children in his Crawley classes. We married and endured through the heart-wrenching experiences of losing three children. We became an adoptive family in 2005 and our gorgeous daughter, who came from China, is the joy, challenge and all ports between of our life, as she has every right to be.

John sometimes thought and then said things that were difficult to hear. He was challenging and annoying and sometimes so damned “principled” that you wanted to strangle him, but there was not a bad or malicious bone in his body. He was open and friendly and loved to talk. Getting away was sometimes difficult as there was always something more to say. His eyesight was rubbish all his life. He didn’t of course know this until well in to adulthood and always thought he was just lazy and needed to try harder. He was in fact partially sighted and, apart from the obvious difficulties this meant for him, he often missed the more subtle visual communication cues that, if read, might have meant less trouble for him…like recognising people in the street.

He was a loyal, loving and loved man. He maintained a number of long and cherished relationships with family and friends which, to me, marks his greatest success. He shared his living and he shared his dying. As ever, he wrote to try and map and make sense of the last year of his life. He was a complex, brilliant and unsettling man who was once described as “differently wired”. He is a man that I am finding it so hard to be without.

by Rachel Bowles (John's wife)
 

The Reverend Francis Chadwick 1930-2021

Durham School 1944-1948

Francis treasured his time at Durham School, particularly with the English class, which was frequently summoned for a tutorial with the then then Dean of Durham, Dr Alington, in his study in the Deanery.  He had to leave Durham a little early, following the death of his father, but was nonetheless supported though his School Certificate examinations by the school, for which he was very thankful.

After completing his National Service, Francis was ordained priest in 1956, and enjoyed his life as a local vicar.  In 1973 he took his family on a trip to Eastern Europe, during which he and his wife made enduring friendships.  The result was that they travelled in different countries within Eastern Europe nearly every summer from 1973 to 1993, thus gaining some insight into the changes brought about by the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, and impact on people in those countries.

After his first retirement, Francis became the Anglican Chaplain of Finland and Estonia, within the Diocese of Europe.  During this time, he was proud to be part of the celebrations around the signing of the Porvoo Agreement between the Anglican and Lutheran churches.

After his second retirement, he refocussed on East Africa, and built strong links with churches in Uganda and Tanzania.  A number of the African clergy he befriended have written fondly of their friendship with him, and he has left a lasting legacy at the Bishop Jackson School in Kasese, in West Uganda.

 

When he was no longer able to travel to Africa, he turned to writing, and latterly published two books.  The first “The Winding Road of Faith” was about his life of faith, and the second “Creeping Behind the Iron Curtain” was about the travels in Eastern Europe.  One of his last engagements was to give a short talk to members of Durham School, via Zoom, about his travels in Eastern Europe.
 
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We are sad to share that Alan Atkinson passed away on 15 March 2021 at the age of 85. He was always very proud of being an Old Dunelmian who had attended both Bow and Durham School. 

Michael Christian Short
Michael was born in Newcastle on 20 April 1943 the elder of two siblings (his sister Jane, her husband James and their family live in the U.S.A). Their Mother Jennie was a primary school teacher in Heaton and became a Headmistress there. Their father Edward, (Ted), also a teacher, was from 1947 a Headmaster in Blyth, from 1948 a Newcastle City Councillor and from 1951 Member of Parliament for Newcastle Central. He was appointed a member of Harold Wilson’s Government as Chief Whip 1964-1966, Postmaster General 1966-1968 and Secretary of State for Education 1968-1970. He became Leader of the House and Deputy Prime Minister. He was awarded a life peerage in 1977 and took the title of Lord Glenamara.

Michael spent ten years away as a boarder in Durham, five at Bow School and five at Durham School. In 1961 he entered King’s College, Newcastle in its last year as part of Durham University where he read Law. After three years he graduated with a Durham degree and, under new arrangements, was able, prior to articles, to study for and pass the Law Society Part 2 examinations. He was articled for two years (alongside Jeremy Beecham) to Allan Henderson in Collingwood Street and from there moved to Nicholson Martin & Wilkinson in Norwich Union House on Westgate Road where, under the helpful guidance of Dennis Vernon, he concentrated on commercial law. When Dennis Vernon left to become Chairman of Ferguson Industrial Holdings in 1978 Michael established the firm of Michael C. Short and, joined by David Richardson and David Forth, became Short Richardson & Forth  moving to their present premises at 4 Mosley Street.

Following the Acts of 1975 and 1978 Michael developed an interest in Employment Law initially acting on behalf of claimants. He must have impressed his clients’ opponents for soon he was also instructed on behalf of employers and developed a highly successful practice.  Indeed he was a pioneer and became a leading practitioner in the field. From 1991 until 2007 he acted as Secretary to the Newcastle Employment Tribunal Users’ Group. In 1997 he was appointed a member of the Law Society’s Employment Law Committee becoming Chairman for three years up to 2007. From 1994 he was involved in the establishment of the new Mercantile Court in Newcastle which first sat in 1997. He was a member of its Users’ Committee after June 1998. He was proud to be elected as President of the Newcastle Law Society for 1994/1995.

He lectured on commercial matters at the College of Commerce (later part of the Newcastle Polytechnic which became Northumbria University where he served as a Governor for eight years until 2005 sitting on the Employment and Finance Committee). He travelled the country addressing H.R. departments of his client companies on employment law.

In retirement Michael kept in touch with the profession and with old friends when attending lunches at Kingston Park for the Retired Solicitors’ Group. He was proud of his legacy in that his successor as senior partner at Short, Richardson & Forth, Max Winthrop, followed him to take the Chair of the Law Society’s National Employment Law Committee, the Secretaryship of the Newcastle User Group and, currently, the Presidency of the Newcastle Law Society.

From age 17 he was an active member of The Peoples’ Theatre becoming a leading player in a number of the great Shakespearean roles, in more modern dramas such as by Stoppard, Frayn and Hare, and in comedies such as by Ayckbourn. He was memorable as Hercule Poirot and was powerful and moving in his last role, for a second time, as Willie Loman in ‘Death of a Salesman’.  In all these roles he was noted for his meticulous preparation.

He recalled with affection childhood family holidays camping in the South of France. There were also regular trips to a cottage on Ullswater.  As a brave hill walker into his late sixties he enjoyed walking in the Alps and the Pyrenees usually encountering people half his age. He and Ann were adventurous travellers driving through the Rockies of Canada and the United States many times and experiencing the excitements of the Himalayas and of Namibia, Zimbabwe (thrice) and South Africa.

Michael was an avid reader. His taste varied between historical biographies of a deterrent length and modern crime novels. He visited and made purchases at Waterstones almost every week. His daily newspaper intake was substantial. When not reading he loved to be outdoors working in the garden.

He met Ann at University and they became acquainted when as members of the University Dramatic Society they participated in the Dublin Theatre Festival of 1963. They were married on 3 August 1968 and lived throughout in Whickham. Ann was a secondary school teacher in Lanchester from 1967 becoming a Deputy Headmistress. After retiring  she sat as a Magistrate in Gateshead from January 1997, became the Deputy Chair, then the Acting Chair for 18 months to 2012, retiring in 2014.

Michael and Ann were married for 52 years. They shared interests in theatre, literature and art. They enjoyed regular visits to London staying at the Reform Club where Michael was a member for some decades. All four of their parents lived into their nineties with Michael and Ann responsible for their care.

They spent a happy and normal Christmas Day 2020 together attending morning Mass and then at home with gifts and seasonal fare. Michael passed away, without prior symptoms or due warning, suddenly and shockingly, in the early hours of Boxing Day.

There are many adjectives to describe Michael. He was hardworking,  pioneering, cultured, straightforward, quietly charming, gentle and a devoted and loving husband. He is and will be greatly missed.

submitted by D. G. Raw
 

David James McNeaney (1965-2020)
 
David started his time in Durham at the Chorister School, where he spent 5 happy years as a chorister in Durham Cathedral. He went on to Durham School (Poole House, 1979-1984) and very much enjoyed his time there, making many lifelong friends, before he moved to London and ultimately to Leek, Staffordshire, where he spent most of his working life.
 
David loved life. He loved music of all sorts – anything from a choral symphony with the Durham Cathedral Choir, to Deep Purple, Phil Collins or the Beatles. Attending a concert, a music festival or a gig at his local pub were regular past-times when such things were allowed. He would do anything for anybody, and was a larger than life character, often seen in and around Leek wearing one of his collection of Hawaiian shirts that he was renown for.
 
He also loved travel and was fortunate to be able to travel to many far-flung destinations all over the world where he met many friends, both old and new. The tales of his travels were often amazing; not just the places he had been and the things he had done, but more so the people he had met and occasionally the flight upgrades into Business Class that he seemed to obtain  – how he did that will always remain a mystery!
 
Most important to him, he loved his time with his family, and his many friends, including those from his local area in Leek, the friends from his time in London and the group of friends from both the Chorister School and Durham School with whom he also kept in touch. The annual get-togethers with his school friends were a highlight of the year.

David set off on New Year’s Eve to collect a takeaway ahead of a planned Zoom call with friends to see in the New Year. He collapsed on the way and, despite CPR, he never regained consciousness. Nobody would ever have expected David to go so soon, but he would have hated to become old, or for anything to slow him down. If there was ever a good time to go, he went as he would have wanted, quickly and unexpectedly, looking forward to his New Year’s Eve celebration with friends.

David will be missed by many, many people but there is no doubt he lived life to the full - in his own words ‘Enjoying Life, Living the Dream’.
 

It is with sadness we report the death of Terence Walton (P, 1948–53) on 19th February 2020. He was 82 years old.
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We have recently learned that Mr Michael Foreman (P, 1956–59) passed away on 11th October 2020 at the age of 78.

It is with sadness that we have learned of the death of Reverend StJohn Alwin Turner (C, 1944–49). Rev Turner passed away on 18th February 2021 due to sepsis and Covid-19. He was 89 years old.

I'd like to contribute this tribute to John Laws who died this year. J.G.McK Laws was immensely proud of his Scottish heritage, spending many school holidays at the home of grandparents on the north-east coast who were a strong influence and inspiration. Starting with his years at the Chorister School, from where he won a King's Scholarship to Durham School, John had a confidence in his own knowledge, speaking ability and learning which never faltered. On one occasion the headmaster J.G. Brett knowing that John had the courage of his convictions unlike the rest of us, consulted him in class on the correct use of the Greek term parthenogenesis (virgin birth); some years later at a later public meeting, John by then a trainee barrister admonished the head teacher for calling a question "impertinent" about the controversial sale of top sports ground for housing.  A day boy at both schools, John's reddish, tousled hair drew the nickname "pussy Laws" which he wore with equanimity, a quality which did not desert him even when older boys snatched the doctor's bag in which he kept his books. It was not all swat with John. He became a proficient fencer and enjoyed it when the Rev. Jack Marsden took Saturday morning classes of the Classical Sixth on the playground in order to watch the First XI cricket team.  (Anthony (Tony) Austin, 1959-63 Poole House)  

British singer-songwriter Chad Stuart, who had hits in the US with the 1960s duo Chad & Jeremy, has died aged 79.

The folk-pop pair enjoyed success with songs like Yesterday's Gone, A Summer Song and Willow Weep For Me.

As part of the British Invasion, they found greater success in the US than in their home country, where Yesterday's Gone was their only top 40 single.

A statement said the world had "lost a legend" but his voice would "continue to touch our lives through his music".

Stuart, born David Stuart Chadwick in Windermere, Cumbria, met Jeremy Clyde at London's Central School For Speech and Drama, and they began performing music together in the early 60s.

Yesterday's Gone got to number 37 in the UK in 1963, but their career in Britain suffered an irretrievable blow after the press discovered Clyde's aristocratic background.

Clyde was the Duke of Wellington's grandson, and the Daily Express unearthed a photo of him as a page boy at the Queen's coronation.

"Once it came out that he was an 'aristo' it was all over," Stuart once said. "Rock 'n' roll is a means for the working class to escape their grim lot. I was middle class, and that was OK. But to be an aristocrat - forget it."
 

Their backgrounds mattered far less in the US, where fans were embracing the influx of British bands, leading Chad & Jeremy to enjoy a brief but intense period of fame across the pond.

The duo continued to knock out top 40 tracks into the mid-60s, including A Summer Song, which went on to appear in such movies as director Wes Anderson's Rushmore, Anne Hathaway's The Princess Diaries, and Men in Black III; as well as a Coors Light beer advert last year.

They even played fictional versions of themselves on The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Patty Duke Show, as well appearing as themselves in an episode of the original Batman TV series.

According to The New York Times, Clyde's family connections enabled the two young men to stay at crooner Dean Martin's house in Los Angeles, and they hung out with Frank Sinatra.

In the late 60s their music followed the trend of going in a more psychedelic direction before they went their separate ways.

Stuart continued to work in music as both a producer and director, while Clyde went into acting.

'Incredible force'

The duo eventually reformed to record and tour again, releasing new music in 1983. They made a second comeback from 2002, playing at series of nostalgic '60s British invasion-themed events, before Stuart officially retired to Sun Valley.

A statement posted on Sunday on the band's Facebook page said: "We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Chad Stuart, a father, a husband, a brother, a grandfather, a friend, a mentor, a teacher and an inspiration to many.

"We ask for love, celebration but also space while the family adjusts to life without this incredible force."

He died from non-Covid related pneumonia after being admitted to hospital following a fall, the statement added.

US pop rock act Paul Revere and the Raiders paid tribute. saying it "truly was a pleasure to tour and share a time never to be repeated with both Chad & Jeremy".

It is with sadness we announce the death of Roy Curry OD on the 4 December 2020 after a short illness.  
Roy was 94 years old and had been a mason in the OD Lodge for over 50 years.  There will be a private family funeral at Saltwell Crematorium on Thursday 17th December at 1430hrs.  Donations, if desired, to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Charitable Trust

DAVID CHARLTON 1940 to 2020
David Charlton (CDP Charlton) who died on the 16^th of July, just six weeks after his 80th birthday, was born in May 1940 at the beginning of the Battle of Britain. He was the middle one of three brothers who were all in The Caffinites under Norman Macleod in the 1950s, Ian (RIH Charlton) and Peter (JP Charlton 1943-2011).

Their father, Robert Hedley Charlton (1903-1970), was also in The Caffinites immediately after the 1^st World War – a contemporary of John Adamson, Frank Youngman and Carl Aarvold.

After leaving School David trained at Thomas Danby Hotel School in Leeds – now part of Leeds Metropolitan University – prior to which he worked under Everard Whitehouse OD at Simpsons in the Strand. He completed his training at the Grand Hotel Suisse in Montreux and on his return to the UK joined the staff of Claridges. It was there that he was offered a post by Lord Forte, which he turned down! His only major mistake throughout his career… who knows, he might have become manager of the George V in Paris…

His first management appointment was at the prestigious Garden House Hotel in Cambridge. After a short period as an Innkeeper at the historic Scole Inn on the Suffolk/Norfolk border, he and his wife emigrated to Canada where he managed the twin Holiday Inns in the capital Ottowa. His final move was to Vancouver where he managed the Denman Place Inn together with its accompanying shopping mall, convention venue and theatre complex, followed by his final appointment in 1977 as Group Manager of Concord Hotels, Victoria on Vancouver island. In April 1978 he opened his own restaurants, The Old Bailliff and subsequently Bananas on Robson Street.

Following the sale of the latter in 1990, he operated a series of delicatessens specialising in Italian food products until finally retiring in 2011 – to spend time with his grandchildren!!

R.I.H. Charlton, Oxfordhire, September 2020

 

Dr John Derek Rickinson (S, 1940–44)  

John Derek Rickinson was born in Scarborough in 1927 but lived at the Rose Cottage, The Peth, in Durham from the age of nine. He went to Bow School then Durham School in 1940, where he was in School House. He studied Medicine at Newcastle Medical School, which at that time was still part of Durham University, qualifying in 1950. He worked for a year with Drs Young, Adamson and Chapman in Durham then moved to Newcastle where he was a GP till 1986. On retirement he moved to Scarborough and continued working part-time in both Scarborough and York until he was 79. He was married to Brenda for 68 years and had four children and two grandchildren. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2017 and died after a fall on June 30 2020. 

It is with sadness we report the death of David Thomas William Irvin.  David passed away peacefully at Cramlington Hospital on 13 May 2020 after a long battle with bladder cancer.

David recalled his time fondly at Durham School.  Although he did not always excel academically, he was an able sportsman, rowing for the 1^st Crew and playing for the rugby 1^st XV.  His passion for sport continued after School and he became a keen supporter of Newcastle Falcons.

After Durham School, David qualified as a chartered surveyor and ran a successful surveying practice in South Shields for many years known as Finn & Irvin.  He was a past president of South Shields Rotary Club.

He is survived by his twin brother John (S, 1954-58), his son Tim (S,1987-89) and his family.

Sadly I report the death of my brother, Derek, at the age of 72 in St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington on 6 November 2019 after a long running combination of medical conditions.  

After leaving school he went to Hatfield College, Durham University and achieved a BA in Social Studies in 1968

He chose a career in Personnel cutting his teeth negotiating with both staff and shop floor unions on employment matters for British Oxygen Co. at its factory in Gateshead on Tyneside. Later he moved to Barnes, London where he worked firstly for the Grand Metropolitan group and finally for the United Biscuits group where he became Personnel Services Manager in the central personnel department. He became a Fellow of the Institute of Personnel Managers in 1990 and, during his career, wrote two text books on personnel policies and procedures, both of which were published but neither of which made him rich!

Derek had great artistic flair and was both a very talented artist and a skilled garden designer. He was also an equally good and knowledgeable plantsman. In his retirement he transformed a rundown allotment into a highly admired ornamental and fruit garden which was visited by schools as part of an educational project and which was later featured on the BBC Gardener’s World programme. He also used his talent as a gardener to design the communal gardens for the block of apartments in which he lived and to supervise the construction and the planting of them.

As an artist, Derek had undoubted talent painting in a range of media and subject matter – abstract,  landscape, birds, animals, plants and flowers and many of his pictures would be sold for the benefit of his local Community Association.

He never married but he always brought a sparkle to family gatherings with his ever present mild humour, inventive conversation and general sense of fun.

(Written by his brother, Robert Coulthard (P, 1957 - 62)

It is with sadness we report the death of Richard Chadeyron OD at the age of 73 on 21 April 2020 after a long illness.

At School, Richard had an admirable academic record.  A King’s Scholar and Sir John Priestman Scholar, he won five senior prizes including Jackson, Green, Woodard (twice) and the Ker Memorial prize.  He left in 1964, to study law at Sheffield. 

Richard became Senior Partner at the Newcastle Law Firm, Linsley & Mortimer, until its merger with Eversheds in 2000.  In retirement he served as a director of Newcastle Citizens Advice Centre.

Richard was predeceased by his wife, Marjorie and his brother Paul (C, 1962-65).  He is survived by his daughter Victoria, son James, and his grandchildren Bobby and Remy.

click here

It is with sadness we report the death of Malcolm Clasper OD at the age of 82 on 19 April 2020 after a long battle with cancer.

Malcolm had fond memories of his time at School, including cricket and rifle shooting.  It was during his time as a pupil Malcolm met his lifelong friend and wife, Barbara, herself a pupil at the High School.

The couple married in the early 1960s and were blessed with three children, Karan, Stephen and the late Deborah, three grandchildren and three greatgrandchildren.

After Durham School, he worked as a sales manager for a pharmaceuticals company, before opening his own sporting goods distributor.  He retired after a triple heart bypass in 2000.

The family would like to thank the Freeman Hospital, Cramlington Hospital, Wansbeck Hospital and Dr. J. O'Neill of The Mount, Morpeth who supported and cared for Malcolm throughout his illness.

click here

Matthew Dickinson, former Junior GBR fencer died tragically this weekend (26 April) from SADS (Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome). Age 20, Matt represented GBR in over thirty U17 and U20 international events, including 4 European and World Championships.

In March 2016, at age 16 Matt became the youngest winner of the U23 National Championships, winning the U20 Junior title the same year. One of Britain's most successful young epee fencers of recent years, Matt’s European U17 Circuit results included individual gold in Ankara (2015), and two top 8 finishing positions in Bonn (2014) and Krakow (2014).

It is with sadness that we report the death of Alex Dawson (L, 1977-84) on Saturday 18 April 2020.

After attending Durham School, Alex attended Nottingham Trent University before beginning a lifetime working in property management.  He later undertook further study at City University, gaining an MSc in Property Investment and Finance.

Having spent 14 years at Knight Frank, Alex took on a new role as Director of Public Sector Consultancy at Savills in 2011. James Sparrow, chief executive of Savills, said: “I am truly grateful to have many great memories of working alongside Alex as both a colleague and a friend. He was an intelligent, gentle, kind, fun-loving and thoroughly decent man and we will all miss him enormously.”

Alex was also an active member of Savills’ LGBTQ+ steering committee.

Alex was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in Autumn 2019.

Alex is survived by his partner George, his parents and two brothers, also ODs, Mark (L, 1973-79) and Guy (L, 1974-81).

It is with sadness we report the death of Rev. Brock Ainslie White on 6 April 2020 aged 83. Rev. White passed away peacefully from a heart condition at home in Scotland.

Born in 1936, Brock was from Stockton on Tees.  He was a member of Poole House between 1949 and 1954.  In his final year he won the Art Prize.  After national service in the Air Force, in 1957 Brock attended The Central School of Art and Design in London (now part of St Martin’s College).  Upon graduation he took a job as an apprentice designer at Myers Beds in Vauxhall.  In 1964 he moved to Glasgow where he worked as a designer for furniture makers H. Morris & Co, a company famous for making luxury furniture for hotels and cruise ships.

Brock’s faith was inspired by services in the School Chapel and regular visits to Durham Cathedral during his time at School. In the mid-1960s Brock was called to the Church. He studied theology at Trinity College, University of Glasgow and then took up the position as Minister at Templehall Church Kirkcaldy Fife from 1971 until his retirement just over 18 years ago.

Brock is survived by his wife Dreena, his children and grandchildren.

Old Dunelmians will be sad to hear of the passing of former School Doctor, Desmond Walker at the age of 91.  
We understand Dr Walker passed away at some point last week, and sadly his wife passed away just a few hours later. 
Dr Walker's granddaughter Eleanor was in Pimlico House in the early 1990s.
The family are in our thoughts and prayers. 

It is with sadness we announce the death of Mrs Ann Lang.

Mrs Lang was the wife of Michael Lang, Headmaster of Durham School between 1982 and 1997. A radiographer by training, Ann gave up her profession when her husband became Headmaster of Durham School. She threw herself into her new role with gusto. She regularly attended Chapel, a building which she loved, and was very much involved in the musical and artistic life of the School.  She was also a regular watching Cricket and Rugby on the Playground.  

In recent years Ann’s health had declined, and she had lived for the past two years in a home, after becoming ill with dementia. She suffered a stroke in January 2020, and passed away peacefully at the start of April, a few days short of her 81 birthday.

Ann dearly loved her time at Durham School and had fond memories of the School and its pupils, and she will be sorely missed by generations of Old Dunelmians.

Photograph – From the 1982 Dunelmian welcoming Mr & Mrs Lang to the School.

“One of the last Dam Busters”

Kenneth Law Sumner (C, 1937-40), WWII veteran and local businessman died in hospital on 2 April in Newcastle after a short illness and contracting coronavirus, aged 96.  Kenneth was born in Canada, though his family returned to their native North East soon after, where Kenneth attended Durham School.

At School, Kenneth excelled at cricket and rugby, representing the XI and 2^nd XV.  He was also an accomplished runner, winning the Senior Mile, and Dunelm Run in 1940.  He served as a L/Cpl in the OTC (CCF). Kenneth’s sons Warren (C, 1965-70) and Graham (C, 1968-71), and his grandsons Charles Shepherd (S, 1989-94), Kenneth Shepherd (S, 1991-97) and Warwick Shepherd (S, 1997-2002) all went on to attend Durham School too.   Throughout his life Kenneth would enjoy coming to watch cricket and rugby on the Playground.

After School, he joined the RAF, winning a Distinguished Flying Medal for bravery. He later became part of the famous Dam Busters 617 Squadron.  After the war, Kenneth married Phyllis, known as Rennie. Their daughter Lorelle went on to marry the late businessman and former owner of Newcastle United, Freddy Shepherd.  Kenneth helped to run a farm in North Yorkshire with his parents. Later, he and his sons set up a coach company in Gosforth. 

Grandson, Kenneth Shepherd said his family "could not have wished for a bigger hero to look up to" than his grandfather. “He was a true gentleman who never stopped loving his family, his wife of over 60 years, Rennie and, of course, his cat Patchy. As they say, they don’t make them like him anymore.”

Kenneth's family say he enjoyed watching Newcastle Falcons, Newcastle United and the sports teams at Durham School. He competed six times in the Great North Run and walked the Great Wall of China at the age of eighty. In a statement, the family wished to thank the staff on wards 19 and 22 at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, as well as Ken's carer Cindi for their work in his final days.

“One of the greatest lawyers of his generation”

Sir John Laws (P, 1959-63) died in Chelsea and Westminster Hospital on Sunday 5 April 2020, aged 74.  He had been ill for some time and had contracted COVID-19 while in hospital. 

Sir John excelled at languages at Durham School, where he won prizes for Latin, English, Greek, Divinity and French. He was a keen debater, actor, and railway enthusiast, and was both a House and School monitor. He left Durham School with an Open Classical Scholarship to Exeter College, Oxford. 

After university, he became a barrister and practiced in London.  He was made First Junior Treasury Counsel and a Recorder in the mid-1980s, positions he held until he was appointed to the High Court as a Judge in 1992, serving on the Queen's Bench Division.  Laws was also knighted around the same time.  He served on the Queen's Bench until 1998, and in 1999 rose to Lord Justice of Appeal a role in which he served in until 2016. He was also appointed to the Privy Council.

Laws was one of the UK’s leading authorities in public law and democracy, asserting the primacy of the constitution over parliament in the balance of power in Britain. After retirement from the bar he was elected a visiting professor of legal science at Cambridge University.

Sir John married Miss Sophie Marshall at St. George's Church, Eastergate, Sussex on 9th June 1973.  They had one daughter, Margaret Grace.  He is the maternal uncle of Dominic Cummings (P, 1985-90).    

The chair of the Ecclesiastical Law Society, Mark Hill QC, paid tribute to Sir John in a statement on the Society’s website. “John was the most gregarious of men, with a quick and lively wit, who enjoyed life in all its richness.  A loyal and generous friend, he will be remembered for his love of Greece and of cats…. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.”

Nigel Pleming QC, a good friend of Laws, said Laws’ daughter was able to see her father before he died, wearing full protective garb.  He also called him “One of the greatest lawyers of his generation.”

Sir John’s wife, Lady Sophie Laws, passed away on 27 June 2017.   He is survived by his daughter and his grandchildren.

Frank Gray OD (1951-1956)

Francis (Frank) Oswald Bede Gray BDS passed away peacefully on 15th February 2020, aged 82 years.

Born in Corbridge, Northumberland, on 25th October 1937, Frank attended Bow and then Durham (School House), from 1951 to 1956. A beloved husband to Roberta for 56 years. A much loved Dad to David (OD 1979 - 1986) and Philippa, Father in Law to Erika and Lincon, as well as a wonderful Grandpa to Megan and Ellie.

Frank was passionate about Durham School. During his 25 year retirement he exhaustively researched the ODs who fell during WWI, collected a wealth of associated memorabilia (subsequently donated to the school), and personally visited over 90 OD graves across Europe.

The funeral will be help at 2pm on Wednesday 4th March at Heart of England Crematorium in Nuneaton, Warwickshire

David Byram-Wigfield was born in Stockton-on-Tees, and was a Chorister at Durham Cathedral under the celebrated Organist, Conrad Eden. This experience cultivated for him a life-long love of music and architecture, and of the English language, particularly the lyrical prose of the Book of Common Prayer and the King James Bible. Following further education at Durham School, he won a place to read History and English at Emmanuel College (Cambridge), matriculating in 1956. Here he established himself as an inspiring opera producer, overseeing productions of Lennox Berkeley’s “A Dinner Engagement”, and “the Mayor of Casterbridge”, a magnum opus opera by Peter Tranchell, then Precentor and Director of Music at Gonville and Caius. This production was featured on BBCtv’s “In Town Tonight”, as a result of which David secured a place on the production staff at Glyndebourne Opera. Here he met Morwen Bishop, a pianist who had recently graduated from the Royal College of Music, and they fell in love during workshop productions of Beethoven’s ‘Fidelio’.

 

Morwen and David were married in Little Badminton Church in 1962, and moved to Herefordshire, where they founded ‘Opera in the Marches’, a company presenting professional opera with orchestral accompaniment, touring around villages, schools and Town halls in the area. This was remarkably ahead of its’ time; productions included Mozart’s ‘The Marriage of Figaro, Rossini’s ‘The Barber of Seville’, Menotti’s The Telephone’ and ‘Amahl and the Night Visitors’. They had 3 children, Timothy, Rebekah and Benjamin, who have all made prominent careers as performing musicians and in the musicological world. For many years he lectured in English and History at what is now the University of Worcester.

 

David had an elegant gift and flair for article writing, displaying erudition with sharp wit. In 1967 he penned an article for the journal ‘Musical Opinion’ entitled “What’s in a Name?” where he took on no less an august institution than the Royal College of Organists, taking them to task for mixing up English, German, French indiscriminately in the stop-list for their new Organ.

 

‘For many years (he wrote) one of my favourite “hates” has been the sloppy manner in which organ stops are labelled...[so] where a stop should have been named “Triangular Flute”, it’s astonishingly called “Flute à Trigorn”. Now to me this conjures up visions of nothing less than Three-Cornered Hats! Do customers really believe they are getting more value for money through exotic stop-labelling? Perhaps their thinking is along the lines that perfume from Paris must be better than the same variety purchased in London. ...Flute a chiminée (that’s Chimney Flute to you); Basson (she cried!); Rohr Schalmei (you should hear my Schalmei Rohr!). By all means label your stops in English, French, German, Italian or Chinese, but please don’t mix them all up on one instrument.’

 

David was an inveterate maker of things; he just couldn’t help it. By the age of 9, he worked out how to set a camera timer to take an artful picture of himself (at the end of the war this was no mean feat) proudly proclaiming in capitals on the back: “MYSELF: by MY-SELF”. As a Durham choirboy he made organ pipes out of paper, which worked. He rebuilt a vintage 1929 MG from a chassis he found in a hedge. And he rebuilt and restored a number of houses, principally Shortgrove, a 15th-century half-timbered farmhouse just south of Ludlow. He did this almost entirely single-handed. He mended clocks, he framed pictures, he plastered, he soldered, he plumbed; he retiled and re-roofed; he milked cows; he pleached hedges; he drew up architect plans; he made harpsichords, he built organs, he tuned pianos; he fermented damson wine and strawberry champagne, and he printed & bound books. He put together a man-cave of lathes, drill-bits, needle files, vices, screwdrivers, mallets, chisels, and reevers, whilst a collection of glued-together match boxes revealed a stash of model iron rivets, gears, tacks and pins.

 

In 1990 Morwen and David left Shortgrove behind and moved to Great Malvern, where for over 25 years they welcomed guests and friends to The Steps on Foley Terrace. Here David founded Cappella Archive, a printing and binding service “on demand”, producing multiple copies of over 40 titles in hard-back binding, some of which were multi-volume sets. All these were closely and sympathetically re-typed, reset, and reproduced as beautifully hand-bound hard-back books, with detailed engravings and illustrations, and only the gentlest guiding hand of editorship. One of these was “Where do you Keep?” by Margaret Holbrook, a collection of undergraduate recollections and anecdotes about Cambridge landladies.

David was an avid and life-long enthusiast of railways and steam locomotives, and in particular modelling.  In 1959 he co-founded the 2mm N-Gauge Model Railway Society, and maintained a large lay-out, making locomotives as well as scenery and buildings.  In 2003 David was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, and was nursed and cared for by Morwen for 15 years.  Even at the end of his life he was still joking and displaying his encyclopaedic knowledge, before the disease stole him away.   We have so much to be thankful for a life of creativity, arts and manners, and culture, lived to the full.

 

David Byram-Wigfield, b. 29 January 1936; d. 23 September 2019

 

TBW

It is with sadness we report the passing of David Peter Rooze OD on 18 November 2018.  

It is with sadness we report the death of Angus Armstrong OD on 6 September 2019 aged 56.

Angus Armstrong (C, 1976–81) 
Eulogy by James Armstrong 

For sons of Durham fill the earth, And still, where'er they make their berth, In Seaton Snook or Zanzibar, Sing "Floreat Dunelmia.”  

Floreat Dunelmia, “May Durham Flourish”, was my father’s old School Song, which he not only sang from Ferryhill to Al Khobar, he also used this Latin phrase, in various permutations, to form his online passwords – Netflix, Spotify, Sky Sports and Amazon were easy for us boys to crack from a distance at our own schools and Universities, but we were stumped earlier this month, when we were locked out of his computer. For every few months he had gone along the top of the keyboard, ‘shifting’ over digits, with an added “!”, in adherence to Schlumberger’s tight security laws, and had failed to tell anyone. Thank goodness he had recently relaxed his phone access and had reverted to his birth date.  

My father was born in Durham, an only child, and having gained a King’s Scholarship from Chorister School to Durham School, he joined The Caffinites House at the beginning of six happy years. Five years, of course, being the norm, but taking an extra year at educational institutions does seem to run in the family. My parents had met at the “Tennis Club Disco” in 1979, a popular underage cover for Saturday nights spent in The Elm Tree.  

When I went to Durham University as what was known as a ‘gownie’, with them both eager for me to re-live their idyllic teenage years, they regaled me with tales of Klute, the local nightclub and toga parties, as happy ‘townies’, with their large group of uniformed truants, who became life-long friends (and some of whom are here today).  

A summer internship with De Beers, at a gold mine in Welkom State in South Africa, set my father on course for a lifelong career of living and working in hot and uncomfortable places.  

President of his Engineering Faculty at Liverpool University, a rejuvenated oil industry and a chance recruitment ad in the Daily Telegraph saw my father arrive at Number 1 Kingsway in London on 20 May, 1988 at the beginning of what was to be a global adventure in the oilfield service sector for Schlumberger, the world’s first well logging company and a continued leader in its field, with apologies to Richard and Stuart here today, both competitors and friends of my father.  

My father’s SLB career was never to be measured by grade increases, quarterly revenues or jumping through political hoops, but rather by the long hours he spent in the office, endless days away from home or at the base, working alongside the operators to make sure that all the tools were calibrated and the job completed.  

Brothers Reunited, a Schlumberger social network, was the brainchild of a contemporary of my father’s, Ewan Makepeace. This was an insightful precursor to Facebook, connecting Schlumberger employees across the globe. Over the past three weeks, generous tributes have been posted from everyone who ever worked with my father, showing a respect and appreciation for his contribution to their professional lives, in a very personal way. As his children, we would never have known.  

Hugo, Henry and I enjoyed the most extraordinary childhood. Born in Stockton, Singapore and Whitby, we were jabbed and certified within an inch of our lives and flown around the world in the wake of our blue-coveralled father and sun-seeking mother, who always managed to make our countless houses into homes. Despite his long days and frequent absences, my father was always there at the end of the phone or appearing in our Inboxes to offer advice on a DT project, edit a cover letter, discuss England’s team selection, proffer congratulations or dole out a good rollicking. Back at home, memories of a conspiratorial nod behind our mother’s back to buy our first Playstation, his enthusiastic cheering from the touchline and a shoulder carry to gain advantage in a crowd reminds us that our father gave us everything, even when we were too young or too blind to see it.  

From Norway to Nigeria, Texas to Thailand… and with Aberdeen, Paris, Libya, Saudi and the UAE in between, we planted our foot firmly in here in Sandsend, either in a flip-flop or a welly, whilst pivoting out in wide circles to explore the world. None of these adventures would have happened had it not been for my father… ironically a reluctant traveller. He facilitated our exotic addresses and unusual holidays, from camping in Saudi’s vast Rub al Khali and in the shadows of the wind-pitted mesas of the Sahara to crunching on deep fried sparrows washed down with blood and rice wine in Vietnam and flying through the spray of Victoria Falls in a Cessna using the Zambezi as a runway.  

Yet it was our annual ski trips which truly engaged my father from the initial chalet research to the final bar tally, as it would always bring the five of us together, without any fuss, and provide the perfect excuse to see our other nomadic, oily family friends. The same friends who had in fact witnessed the creation of the “TP”, or “Twice Poured”. You see, my father made the perfect gin and tonic — consisting of freshly squeezed lime juice over plenty of ice, then run around the rim of the glass followed by a healthy dash of gin (Bombay Sapphire was his favourite). Topped up with tonic to the tune of a 1:1 ratio. Already very drinkable. But then he would place his thumb over the bottle and drizzle just a little bit more, so that your first sip was the best.  

It was only in my father’s recent years, when work commitments eased, that he took up sport more seriously, jogging rewarded by the interpretation of the data collected by his Garmin watch, cycling and sailing, not on a local pond, but from Spain to Malta, Scarborough to Amsterdam, and gaining his Coastal Skipper qualification in the Canary Islands. And golf. Always a pupil of the School of ‘Hit the ball and Go and Look for it’, he posted his best score during what was to be his final round, with his Qatar Gas colleagues, in Doha, in August.  

However, from his school days in Durham and at Liverpool University to coaching the P4s in Aberdeen and appearing for the Veterans in the Middle East, rugby was his passion. How he would have loved to be watching England’s progress through this Autumn World Cup bid in Japan. Our tickets to see England’s warm-up game against Italy at St James’ Park on Friday 6 September remain unused. 37–0 was the final score, sorry Gigi! He would have been singing ’Swing Low’ all the way home.  

Inspired by a Slim Aarons photograph, my parents chose to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary on 2 September in South of France. Blissfully unaware of what was to happen four days later, together they swam in The Med, jogged around The Cap, played backgammon in the early evenings, discussing plans and hopes for the next 30 years. The rosé they sipped was Carpe Horam (Seize the Hour). Thank goodness they did.  

So what will we do now? As my mother says, the clue is in our name. We shall be strong. My mother will continue to travel from Sandsend. I will continue to work and travel from Dubai. Hugo will graduate from Dartmouth as a top Naval Logistics Officer. And Henry will launch a meaningful career in a field yet be announced! Whatever we do, we shall do because of my father, thanks to my father, and in memory of my father, Angus Armstrong.  

Postscript: Hugo did graduate from Dartmouth, as a Logistics Officer and Henry is now employed by Allianz Insurance, in London.  

Durham was the last stop on a teaching career that also saw Kerry teach French and Russian at Kingston Grammar School, Gordonstoun, and Rugby..  Kerry retired in 1993 and shortly afterwards settled in France, where he sadly passed away on 26 June 2018.

Kerry was a committed and energetic linguist and will be remembered fondly by the ODs he taught.

John passed away on 28 August 2019, aged 82.  John left School to follow a career in Engineering.  John was a keen golfer until he was overtaken by ill health.  John is survived by his wife, Betty, son Prof. Paul Robson and his family.   His funeral is to be at Birtley crematorium on Monday 9th September at 2.30 pm