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ST EDWARD’S
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O B I T U A R I E S
KCB in 1994 and GBE in
1999. In retirement Abbott
was involved with charities
including the Commonwealth
War Graves Commission, the
Marine Society and Sea Cadets,
the Shipwrecked Mariners’
Society and the Royal Naval
Museum. The museum was his
biggest challenge and, faced
with several competing heritage
organisations in Portsmouth and
elsewhere, all Abbott’s charm
and quiet negotiating skills were
needed to merge them into
one new body, the National
Museum of the Royal Navy.
Abbott married Susan Grey
in 1965; she survives him with
their three daughters.
ANNEAR
– In 2015, John
Annear (F, 1942-1946). John
was a Royal Naval Volunteer
Reserve from 1946 to 1948,
before becoming a solicitor.
BARCLAY
– On 8th August
2015, Timothy Francis Barclay
(B, 1938-1942), brother of
Peter Barclay (B, 1936-1940).
The following obituary has
kindly been provided by his
son James;
Tim grew up with his two
elder brothers, John and Peter,
first in St Mary’s in the Scilly
Isles. When he was eight, he
was sent to board at the Dragon
and was much treasured by
his grandfather, “the Skipper”,
and his great-uncle Hum, who
had succeeded the Skipper
as headmaster. In 1942, after
leaving St Edward’s, he joined the
army and once through officer
training was commissioned
a second lieutenant in the
Highland Light Infantry (the
HLI). He saw active service
in Holland and Germany and
was mentioned in despatches,
finishing off in the army as a
Captain. His experiences in
Germany and Palestine made a
profound impression upon him
and he became a committed
pacifist for the rest of his life and
remained angrily opposed to all
military intervention. Returning
to England in 1948, he went
up to Hertford College. I don’t
believe he was over-industrious,
but more importantly, in what
must have been one of his
happiest memories, he met
Mary, whom, by chance or
possibly by arrangement, he sat
next to on a bus coming back
from a holiday in Scotland. They
remained together for over 50
years until her death in 2003, and
I cannot believe that there has
been a happier nor more suited
couple. After graduating from
Oxford as a geologist, Tim found
work in the steel and coal mining
industries in the East Midlands.
He and Mary set up home in
Melton Mowbray, where they
had three children, Robert,
Catherine (always Cate as she
grew older) and me, and their
home was always open to their
children’s friends. His childhood
and experiences in the war, I
believe, made him the man he
was. Caring, loving, forgiving,
sensitive and whilst being very
family oriented, open to the
widest imaginable set of friends.
In fact he had that remarkable
ability to be interested in
everyone as individuals and in
their lives, friends and hobbies.
Tim and Mary did suffer one
great tragedy in their lives,
when Cate died of leukaemia
in 1996. They were difficult
times, but they moved down to
Applegarth and had the pleasure
and recompense of helping
Jim bring up Tim and Hannah
during the first hard year after
Cate’s death. In fact, I’ve often
thought that, for both of them,
their grandchildren were their
greatest pleasure and Tim was
very lucky in being able to see
most of them grow up into
young adults. With Mary he
was lucky enough within a very
happy and caring marriage to
share a mutual hobby - golf.
From when my mother took up
the sport, they played together
almost every day. Losing Mary
some seven years after Cate
was a very sad blow, but in his
ever-stoical way he endured and
continued to enjoy the company
of friends and family, bearing
up through what must have
been some occasionally lonely
moments. Tim was fulfilled in
his life and became reconciled
to his death once his final illness
was diagnosed. Tim always
enjoyed the company, not only
of his contemporaries but also
of each younger generation,
with all their aspirations and
hopes. He absorbed their
culture skyping with his iPad and
sending and receiving emails
and pictures to keep up with
their lives. Personally, I shall
remember my father and my
kindest friend as my guiding light,
an eager schoolboy’s cricket
coach and wrestling opponent,
a patient and uncritical listener,
a delightful conversationalist
with an enchanting sense of
humour and a wonderful golf
and snooker partner. His leaving
us has rocked the canoe I paddle
unsteadily through my life, as
faithful to his principles in his
wake as I can be.
BARLOW
– On 22nd March
2016, John Barlow (F, 1946-
1951).
The following obituary has
kindly been provided by John’s
sister, Jill;
John was born in Jinja,
Uganda, and attended St Mary’s
Boarding School in Nairobi,
Kenya, before he and his sister
were then sent to boarding
schools in the UK. John went
to St Edward’s and his sister to
Headington School. After leaving
St Edward’s, he studied Law
at Pembroke College, Oxford,
followed by a one year Colonial
Service Course. He returned
to Kenya in the Administration
where he married Ann, and
he and his family returned to
the UK in 1964, settling back in
Oxford in1967. John worked for
Imperial Life of Canada heading
the team in Abingdon for many
years. After leaving Imperial
Life, he joined the Pembroke
College Development Team. On
retirement from the Pembroke
Development Office he became
fully involved with his local and
wider communities until his
sudden death. He is survived
by his wife, Ann and their four
daughters: Jane, Caroline, Gillie
and Sarah.
BARON
– On 19th November
2014, Captain Patrick George
Smart Baron (D, 1945-1949).
Patrick joined the Army
in1950 commissioned from
RMA Sandhurst to the North
Staffordshire Regiment. After
leaving the army in 1960, he
became a wine shipper at City
Vintagers Ltd.
BELL
– In 2015, Stuart James
Bell (C, 1936-1940). Stuart
trained at Guy’s Hospital from
1941 to 1946. He worked in
General Dental Practice from
1949 to 1984.
John Barlow