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37 St Edward’s r hubarb
V a l e t e
Magdalene with St Michael
and All Angels, Woolwich.
During his twelve years there
he became Sub Dean of
Woolwich, Rural Dean of
Greenwich and was made
an Honorary Canon of
Southwark Cathedral. He
was awarded a police medal
for his work in helping to set
up the first Greenwich Police
Community Consultative
Group. Ill health led him to
take up a part-time post as
Vicar of St Mark in the North
Downham Team Ministry in
1995 but in 1998 he retired,
again on the grounds of ill-
health.
He was received into the
Roman Catholic Church in
1999 and ordained Priest on
14th April 2000 by Bishop
Charles Henderson at St
Edmund of Canterbury,
Beckenham. For the next nine
years he assisted Fr Gerry
Flood at St Theresa of the
Child Jesus, Biggin Hill, and
regularly said Mass there and
in the churches nearer to
Beckenham in the Bromley and
Lewisham Deaneries.
In 2009 David and Judith
returned to Eastbourne and
David quickly became involved
in the parish of Christ the King
with the Holy Rood and St
Joachim where he was able to
say Mass on a regular basis as
well as in the other Eastbourne
churches. Following a series of
falls and minor strokes in 2013
he spent some in hospital and
returned home in November
where he was looked after by
Judith and a team of carers.
He died at home on 16th
February 2014.
During his school and
college years he played rugby
and cricket and was a keen
follower of Welsh rugby and
Aston Villa FC. He was an avid
reader, a John Wayne fan and
enjoyed foreign travel, classical
music, opera and art.
SANDERS – In July 2014,
John Herbert Sanders (A,
1942-1945). Royal Corps of
Signals from 1945-1948, before
becoming an apprentice with
the North British Locomotive
Company, Glasgow from
1948-1950, moving to BR
Motive Power Department
from 1950-1955. He moved
to Canada to work as an
Instrument Calibrator from
1957-1964, and later became a
Model Maker and Engineering
Assistant at Hunting
Engineering, Ampthill.
SAXEL – On 25th June 2014,
Michael Saxel (B, 1948-1951).
He worked in the wine trade
in South Africa from 1952-
1961, before going to Keele
University from 1963-1967
to obtain his BA. He was
Assistant Master at Grange
School, Aylesbury from
1967-1970, and the Head
of Geography at Churcher’s
College, Petersfield from 1970.
SMYTH – On 3rd March
2014, Peter Mark Smyth
(G, 1953-1958), aged 74, in
Perth, Australia following a
heart attack. After leaving
St Edward’s he attended
Pembroke College Oxford.
STUART-PRINCE – On 30th
June 2014, Richard Geoffrey
Stuart-Prince (E, 1940-1944),
aged 87. Very peacefully at
his home, with all his family
present. Beloved of Trudy,
Mary, Timothy and Felicity
and of his four grandchildren.
He attended Corpus Christi,
Cambridge, where he studied
Natural Science, and was the
longest living 1st XV Captain
for Chiltern RFC.
THIRSK – On 28th
September 2013 and 19th
October 2013 respectively,
John (C, 1947-1951) and
Peter Thirsk (C, 1947-1951),
both aged 80, after battles
with bowel cancer. Born in
Bridlington on 14th September
1933 to Thomas ‘Tommy’
Thirsk (renowned golfer and
flour mill owner) and Gladys
(Dewhirst) Thirsk.
The Rev David Edwin Rhys
Peter Mark Smyth
Their lifelong friend Paul
Rollason (C, 1947-1951)
has kindly provided the
following obituary.
The twins and I arrived
at Field House, Teddies in
September 1947. At first we had
to present ourselves to Manning,
the Music Teacher, to see if we
could sing. Peter could and from
then on sang in the School Choir
looking quite angelic in his choir
robes. We all played rugger in
the winter. Peter and I played
cricket in the summer; John
rowed. There was still rationing.
We were always hungry. John
started the SSS (Sunday Scoffers’
Society), and other than Chapel
(twice a day every day), we
had Sundays to ourselves. We
would share out what food our
parents had filled our tuck boxes
with and what little was available
from the tuck shop. Peter did
his national service in the Navy,
as I remember, finishing on a
Mine Sweeper and John in the
Army finishing in command of a
Landing Craft, so both of them
had a watery time. Afterward,
Peter returned to the Thirsk Mill
and John joined the overseas
branch of Commercial Union
insurance company where he
covered a wide area in the
Middle East. Both twins are
greatly missed by their families
and many friends.
Peter Thirsk (C, 1947-1951) Top row second from the left, John Thirsk (C, 1947-
1951) Top row third from right, Paul Rollason (C, 1947-1951) Top row end right.
O b i t u a r i e s