Rhubarb 2019

56 ST EDWARD’S r h u b a r b

as his nurse, the perfect set up for the world’s chattiest pair with patients a captive audience unable to speak whilst in the dental chair! In 1976 he was asked to become Master of the Devon and Somerset Staghounds in which he took great pride for 11 seasons, finally hanging up his boots in 1987. He continued to hunt in his retirement, but preferring the metal steed now, containing the largest picnic anyone had ever seen. He bred horses for many years and continued to ride well into his retirement. His love of horses extended to racing too; not always blessed with great luck when backing a horse, he was happy as long as he returned home with the shirt on his back! In 1985 he married Sara Olof after a short courtship. It was a very happy union for many years and even after parting ways in 1999 they found a way to remain friends allowing the family to continue enjoying important occasions together. As he put it, ‘starting rather late in life’ it wasn’t until he was 50 that he became a father, first to Helen and then to Charles. Some would say that he was too old to be a father; but having taken early retirement in 1994 he attended every sports match, concert and event that the

family were ever involved in and we had so many special times with him. Two years ago he was thrilled to become a grandpa to Poppy and loved to spend hours playing with her and taking her riding on a borrowed pony he had found for her. It is an impossible task to sum up Mike Robinson in a few words: generous, warm, loving with a wicked sense of humour, a true gentleman and a real character. Someone recently told him: ‘we know where you are in the village, because you can hear the laughter’ and we can think of no better way to remember him. ROSS – On 8th February 2018, Kenneth Julian Ross (C, 1938- 1942). Brother of Jaffray (C, 1933-1938). Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve 1943. Insurance broker. President Wood and Kirkpatrick, Toronto. RUTHERFORD – On 31st March 2018, Simon Denis Rutherford (B, 1954-1959). Brother of Robin (B, 1947-1952). Solicitor. SAMUEL – On 30th June 2018, Paul Richard Blelock Samuel (C, 1976-1981). Son of Peter (C, 1948-1953), nephew of Harold (C, 1951-1956) and Christopher (C, 1957-1962), brother of Nicholas (F, 1979-1984), cousin of John (C, 1977-1980) and Timothy (C, 1980-1984). This obituary was kindly provided by Simon Offen (A, 1976-1981): Paul tragically died whilst climbing Mount Alpamayo in Peru. He was born on 2nd January 1963 in Cheshire and joined St Edward’s in 1976. His father, brother, and others in the family also went to Teddies. Known as Sambo, or Bushy, Paul was in Field House and was an outstanding member of the School. He was academically gifted, industrious and excellent at sport. He captained the Hockey

1st XI, was an unsung, super- hardworking flanker in rugby and captained the 1st VI Tennis. Paul gained a place at Churchill College, Cambridge, and came away with a First in Classics and Ancient History. Throughout his life Paul made strong and lasting friendships and many Cambridge contemporaries attended his funeral and memorial service. Paul joined Bain & Company but soon realised he preferred the challenge of creating, and running small businesses. Having been to INSEAD business school he proceeded to set up and develop numerous businesses in diverse areas such as waste recycling, medical scanning, speciality sausage manufacturing, security, telecoms, and property. He loved sailing, climbing and trekking, and at least once a year was determined to expand his knowledge of the world, and of himself. He refused to live in his comfort zone and travelled as much as he could, finding perspective and objectivity from his experiences and especially from the raw power of nature. The two happiest moments of his life were the birth of his daughter Kate on the 10th September 2000, and his marriage to his beloved wife Ana in 2012. Paul wrote a superb book for Kate for her 18th birthday but died before he could give it to her. The following is a quotation from the book ‘Find Your Own Mountains’.

‘I did not wish to take a cabin passage, but rather to go before the mast and on the deck of the world, for there I could best see the moonlight amid the mountains. I do not wish to go below now.’ (Henry David Thoreau, in Walden; or, Life in the Woods ). SEABROKE – On 21st February 2017, Richard Conrad George (E, 1951-1955) aged 79. Son of George (E, 1925-1929), brother of (Anthony) Peter (E, 1956-1960). Richard was a boat builder on the Isle of Wight SKENE – On 19th May 2018, Warren Smallwood Skene (A, 1954-1959). Warren’s daughter, Alison, has kindly provided us with these words about her father: My Dad was a modest man, intelligent and caring. He died suddenly at home, on 19th May and I miss him beyond words. He worked as a local solicitor in the North East, loved a healthy debate and a good laugh and never lost his love of crosswords or detective stories. He loved virtually any sport, but his lifetime love, other than his wife and children, was horseracing over the sticks and he and my mother came to own a number of racehorses. Their greatest achievement was Ardent Scout’s victory in the Becher Chase at Aintree. With typical modesty, they never told anyone that they named, and owned, Auroras Encore until a few months before its victory in the Grand National. Dad’s true love was his family and his North East home. SPONG – On 17th July 2018, John Clive Spong (G, 1940- 1945), aged 90. Royal Navy 1948.

V A L E T E O B I T U A R I E S

STANLEY – On 21st January 2019, Robert Hugh Stanley (D,

Paul Richard Blelock Samuel

Michael Edward Robinson