23 / 32
23
ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE
Graham Cooper
By Theodor Abrahamsen OSE
Geoffrey Palau OSE
By Michael Palau OSE
My father came to St Edward’s in 1934 and so
began an affair with the School which lasted
over 80 years. He often described his time at
the School as the happiest of his life. He held
a Middle School record for the 100 yards for
some 25 years and, reading the rugby reports
of 1938, 1939 and 1940, this is not surprising
not convinced he became, over the years,
one of the strongest converts and, in his later
years, claimed it was his best achievement to
have brought girls into the Sixth Form in 1983
followed by co-education in 1997. To say that
he enjoyed his involvement with Teddies is an
understatement. Not that he found persuading
academics of certain moves to be easy, but he
kept his eye on the prize and served in support
of five Wardens until he finally retired at the
age of 80 in 2001. He had been Chairman
from 1985-1992. Thanks to a friendship with
the current Chairman of Governors, Mike
Stanfield, he continued to visit Teddies and was
happy to keep in touch.
He died peacefully with his family around
him after a short illness with round-the-clock
care in his flat in Wimbledon. A service to
celebrate his life was held at St Mary’s Church,
Wimbledon, on 2nd April. This was well
attended including a strong team from Oxford;
the family were heartened by the support.
Tributes were paid by James Espey, a business
colleague; the grandchildren, Camilla, Alice,
Laura and William; Mike Stanfield; and finally
his daughter, Julia, and me, Michael Palau.
Geoffrey Palau died on 6th March 2016
aged 94.
The tributes to Graham Cooper and
Geoffrey Palau also appear in the current
issue of the OSE magazine,
Rhubarb
.
as they had XVs which won most matches
and were unbeaten against peer schools. He
went one better by being selected for English
Schools to play the Scottish but the match
was snowed off in December 1939. This was
a disappointment but a visiting England scrum
half commented that he would not have to
wait long for his full cap. This was not to be as
the War, which took him into the Grenadiers,
also took his left leg. Needing wine for a party
to celebrate survival from the War he found
that it was hard to find. A friend of a friend
suggested he talk to Edward Young, the wine
merchants, who also offered him a job. His
plans for being a Barrister were abandoned
and, now with a wife and family, he was happy
to be employed.
He remained in the wine trade for his entire
working life having been recruited in 1954 by
Seagram’s, the large Canadian company, and
managed the House of Seagram in the UK
from 1956. Thus began 14 happy years as a
relatively young MD in London. Post Seagram
he was invited by IDV (now Diageo) to play
various roles as MD and later Chairman until
his retirement in the 1980s. His time as a
Governor of the School began in 1964 when
he was invited by Warden Frank Fisher to
bring some commercial nous to the Board. It
was not until 1979 that he became Chairman
of the General Purposes Committee and
quite soon after had to address the thorny
idea of bringing girls into the School. Initially
As a major benefactor throughout his life as
both a Chairman of Governors and of the
OSE Committee, Graham Cooper will be
remembered and honoured by St Edward’s.
However, since there are now very few
who remember him as a boy at the School,
I would like to add these words.
When someone has lived through
almost 100 years in this troubled world,
there is, of course, sorrow and a great
feeling of loss, but mingled with sorrow is
also veneration and gratitude.
Graham Cooper came to Tilly’s in
1931 and had already started to make
his mark when I arrived in Mac’s in
September two years later. One of my
most memorable days at Teddies was an
afternoon in 1936 when I was called into
Graham Cooper’s study in Tilly’s and he,
as Captain of Rugby, congratulated me and
presented me with my 1st XV colours. I
was very much a junior in his team, but I still
remember what an honour it was.
Graham Cooper was a natural leader in
everything he did. In my time he was Senior
Prefect (Head of School), Captain of the
1st XV, Captain of the Athletics Team and
Captain of Hockey. I seem to remember
that he set a school record for the 100
yards and I still have a photograph in an
old scrapbook taken from the local Oxford
newspaper of Graham Cooper in a 100
yard race.
I was a junior in his day, and I don’t
suppose he even noticed me, because a
two year difference at that age and in those
days was an insurmountable barrier. But
a junior could admire a Head of School,
and I have admired and respected Graham
Cooper ever since.
Theodor Abrahamsen was in Mac’s from
1933-39.
Teddy Abrahamsen with his Housemaster,
Rev Arthur Macnamara, in 1939
Geoffrey Palau at a Sevens Tournament in 1940