St Edward's Rhubarb - 2018

48 / 60

46 ST EDWARD’S r hubarb
V A L E T E
O B I T U A R I E S
A further development
championed under Nick’s
leadership was a device that
would hold the pendulum for
precisely one or eleven hours and
then release it accurately. Thus
the problem of GMT/BST clock
changes was solved without any
of the damage to the pendulum
spring that could arise from
these situations, and reduced the
challenges associated with difficult-
to-access clocks. These are just
two examples amongst many of
how Nick constantly surveyed
the engineering landscape
for new materials, tools and
techniques that might help Smith
of Derby better serve horology
and the customer. He was also
determined that the modest scale
of the company should not limit
its ambitions: Smith of Derby
was one of the first traditional
engineering companies of its
size in the country to purchase
a computer. This fact was made
evident when it became clear
there was no trainer available for
the foreseeable future, and Nick
proceeded to teach himself how
to make good use of it.
Nick retired as Managing
Director in 2001, but remained
a key member of the board, and
mentored and supported both
senior team members, and the
next generation of Smiths as they
took increasing responsibility
as non-executive Directors.
Nick continued to provide both
strategic and detailed commercial
and engineering advice right up to
the end of his life. Just a fortnight
before he died he enjoyed a
meeting on his hospital ward
with one of his Smith of Derby
engineering colleagues to work
through the fine-grained details
of the next generation Auto
Wind unit.
SMITH – On 20th November
2017, Peter Michael Smith (C,
1942-1946).
Born 17th August 1928. RAF
1946. Faraday House London
1949-1952. King’s London 1952-
1956 BA. Priest 1957. Curate
Pokesdown, Bournemouth 1956-
1959, Weeke, Hants 1959-1963.
Vicar Hutton Roof, Cumbria
1963-1969, Barrow-in-Furness
1969-1972, Preston Patrick,
Milnthorpe 1972.
SMYTH – Archibald Malcolm
Smyth (F, 1948-1953). Brother
of Donald (F, 1947-1950).
Royal Dental Hospital 1954-
1961. Dental Practitioner in
Hythe specialising in cosmetic
dentistry.
STEVENSON – On 26th May
2017, Adam Bristow Stevenson
(formerly Peter William, B,
1965-1969), in Agadir. Son of
William (B, 1938-1943), brother
of Adrian (B, 1964-1969), James
(B, 1976-1981) and Henry (B,
1983-1988).
Guildhall School of Music
1971. Musician. Civil Servant.
Director of Public Relations,
Gazelle D’Or, Morocco.
STEWART – On 29th March
2017, Hugh MacDonald Stewart
(B, 1943-1947). Brother of John
(B, 1947-1950).
Athletics and Rowing. Royal
Signals 1947. Company Director,
Reading.
TOOP – In June 2016, Geoffrey
Herbert Toop (A, 1957-1962).
Brother of John (A, 1955-1960).
Trainee Actuary 1962.
Financial Secretary Portsmouth
and Sunderland Newspapers
1987. FICA. Retired.
TREND – On 26th April 2017,
Andrew Gauntlett Trend (A,
1948-1951). Brother of Edward
(A, 1936-1940) and Martin (A,
1938-1941). Nephew of Jack
Gauntlett (Common Room,
1924-1964).
The following words have
kindly been provided by his son
Nick: Andrew followed his elder
brothers to St Edward's. His
uncle, Jack Gauntlett, a chemistry
teacher at the school for many
years, was also part of the St
Edward's family. Andrew was also
keen to become a chemist but
was unable to afford to take up his
offer of a place at Southampton
University, so instead he joined
Barclays Bank. After a successful
period at head office in London,
he tired of commuting and
became a branch manager at
various locations along the south
coast. He was at Totton when he
he took early retirement at the
age of 52, and from then on he
threw himself into academia, a
calling to which he was far better
suited than banking. Thirty five
years after his first offer, he finally
took a degree at Southampton,
this time in history, which gave
him the chance to prove his
remarkably creative intellect. It
inspired a passion for research,
which was to lead to the drafting
of a biography of Maurice Egerton
- the pioneer aviator. Sadly this
was left unfinished at the end of
his life. After his degree, along with
his second wife Alix, he worked as
a guardian/curator at two National
Trust properties, the Red House
in Kent and Little Moreton Hall in
Cheshire, and for the last 20 years
of his life he settled in Congleton.
From early family camping
holidays to France, Austria and
Scandinavia, to later explorations
of the Greek islands, Andrew
was an intrepid traveller, with a
talent for discovering little-known
destinations. His other passions
tended to come and go, and at
various stages he took up sailing,
ice-skating, and horse-riding.
One interest which endured for
much longer than the others was
amateur radio, and the complex
aerials which he constructed
around and on top of his various
homes were objects of wonder to
his family and neighbours. The last
few years were consumed with a
battle against Parkinson’s disease,
but he retained a remarkable acuity,
determination and a dry sense of
humour until the end. Andrew was
married first to Jean (née Brown)
from 1959 to 1981 and they had
three children together, Nicholas,
Catherine and Lucy. In 1991 he
married Alix Fulton, whom he met
while studying at Southampton,
a marriage which lasted until his
death.
TRIDGELL – In January 2017,
John Leonard William Tridgell
(D, 1987-1992), from a rare
form of cancer, male breast
cancer, aged 43.
John was a marketing manager
for LinkedIn, and a keen half-
marathon runner. He leaves a wife
and two daughters. His widow, Jo
Tridgell ran the London Marathon
in order to raise much needed
money for this underfunded cause,
in order to directly assist in a
study in which John took part. His
friend Robert Calhoun (D, 1990-
1992) also ran a half marathon
with Jo as part of her preparation.
You can donate to support the
research here: https://www.
makejohnproud
WATKINS – On 20th April
2017, Mark Christopher Watkins
(C, 1965-1969).
The following words were
kindly sent by his wife Elizabeth:
Mark was a well-known
Lloyd’s Underwriter and FCII of
great experience and when he
died aged 64, he was CEO of
Munich Re Underwriting. At one
time he was the youngest Lloyds
Underwriter.
He spent all of his professional
life in the Lloyds marketplace and
was well known for setting rates Andrew Trend