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ST EDWARD’S
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V A L E T E
Patrick Jourdain
JOHNSON
, Hugo Johnson,
(F, 1939-1943). Hugo studied at
Pembroke College Cambridge
from 1943 to1945, before
joining the RAF in 1945. He
became an Insurance Actuary
in 1953, working for Law Union
& Rock, and R Life Holdings
from 1949 to1987, retiring in
1987 as Chairman and Managing
Director.
JOURDAIN
– On 28th July
2016, Patrick Jourdain (C, 1956-
1961). Patrick’s sister Susan has
kindly provided the following
obituary:
Patrick Jourdain was the son
of Ernest Jourdain (F, 1922-
1926) and nephew of Reginald
Jourdain (F, 1925-1931). He
made his life with the game of
Bridge: from starting a Bridge
club at St Edward’s school to
playing for Wales in Hungary a
few weeks before he died. He
graduated in Physics and Maths
from Peterhouse, Cambridge,
and spent more than 10
years with British Steel, doing
Operational Analysis and in the
computer department, before
retreating from Glasgow back
to Cardiff as the manager of the
Bridge club there.
In the 1980s he earned a
pittance commentating on Bridge
matches and a bit more writing
Bridge News and Problems for
The Daily Telegraph
, who gave
him a long obituary. There were
interesting moments with Omar
Sharif and Chairman Deng in
Beijing. He was, at the time
of his death, the President of
the International Bridge Press
Association and the World
Bridge Federation also honoured
him. Some of his books are still
available. In 53 years, I am told,
he won every international cup
there is, as an individual and
playing for Scotland (to 1976)
and Wales after that He played
golf at Llanishen.
Occasional tennis or
swimming gave him a wide
acquaintance. Patrick always
sang bass in his sister’s church
choir at Christmas and Easter
and he joined in any ‘come and
sing’
Messiah
available in his
busy travelling schedule. The
church was full for his funeral
with real friends from Europe
and the world.
LORENA
– On 10th April
2016, Charles Anthony Lorena
(F, 1953-1956). Charles was
a Civil Engineer and Managing
Director of Collyweston
Construction Ltd.
MACCAIG
– On 21st March
2016, John MacCaig (C,
1945-1950). John studied at
the University of Manchester
from 1950 to 1955. He was a
Registrar at University College
Hospital, London, and a
Consultant Physician in North
Devon from 1968.
MACFARLANE
– In October
2016, John (Jay) Macfarlane, (D,
1954-1958), brother to Bob
Macfarlane (D, 1952-1956). The
following obituary has kindly
been provided by his brother
Bob:
We were brought up on a
small farm near Oxford. Our
parents were keen sailors, and
Jay learned to be responsible
for himself at sea at a young
age. He had his own racing
dinghy at 14, cruising the Solent
to different regattas. Looking
back, I’m amazed at our
parents, letting him sail away
on his own for a few days, with
a sleeping bag and a change of
O B I T U A R I E S
clothes. This was before the
security of rescue boats and
mobile phones.
Jay’s independent thinking
did not easily fit the discipline
and tedium of boarding school.
At the suggestion (and to the
relief ) of the headmaster, he
left school at 15, and went
to sea with the British India
Steamship Co. With other
cadets on the training ship
Chantala, he learned the art
of navigation, seamanship,
weather, and the shipping
business. He saw the world,
had a lot of fun with the other
cadets, and grew up quickly.
In 1968 Jay was first mate
on the Happy Dragon, which
was a ship carrying paper from
Finland to China. China was
in the midst of the Cultural
Revolution, and the paper was
needed for the Chairman Mao
government to print copies of
the
Little Red Book
. When they
docked in Shanghai, the Chinese
crew mutinied, smashed down
the door of the bridge, and
handed Jay and the English
captain to the Red Guards.
They were then paraded
through the square while being
beaten, pinched and humiliated
by their captors. It must have
been terrifying, but they were
eventually released; there would
have been very few westerners
in China at that time.
His maritime career
continued for a year or two
after we both migrated to
Perth, working for Tidewater
Marine in the offshore oilfields
of Indonesia and NW Australia.
He was skipper of the powerful
oil-rig supply ships.
Jay’s stories made it seem
like one long adventure, playing
tug-boats, fishing expeditions,
and exploring Indonesian
islands looking for fresh water
for the ship and rig. There’s
even a rumour that he water-