St Edward's Rhubarb - 2018

40 ST EDWARD’S r h u b a r b

was appointed Captain of the Guard to Field Marshall Auchinleck (Commander in Chief of the Army India) at the Indian Independence and handover ceremonies in 1947. Although Dad had always fancied becoming a doctor that was never to be. The war meant he never went to university and instead he spent most of his working life as an accountant and an estate agent. Retiring up to the Lake District in 1986 dad found a new role as a guide at the Beatrix Potter Museum in Hawkshead. Imagine the joy on the faces of the tourists flocking in from Japan to find they were speaking to someone who’d actually met Beatrix Potter in the flesh - during his summer breaks from St Edward’s Dad had worked on a farm in the village of Sawrey where the author lived. HALL – On 31st October 2017, Michael Lindsay Bracebridge Hall (G, 1932- 1936). Son of Bracebridge (1891-1894), nephew of Alexander (C, 1896-1901). St John’s, Cambridge 1936- 1939, MA. Royal Warwickshire Regiment 1939-1945, Capt. Assistant Master Eastbourne College Prep School 1946- 1950. Headmaster Ardingly College Junior School 1950- 1954. Homefield Prep School, Sutton 1954-1962. USPG 1963-1981. Council Church Schools Co 1981. HANDY – In January 2018, John Handy (D, 1939-1944). Royal Signals 1944 with army career retiring as a Major in 1967. Emmanuel, Cambridge 1949-1952 MA. Herbert Ingersoll Ltd, Daventry 1967- 1972. Norlin Communications, Coventry. Cornix Systems, Coventry.

HARTNOLL – In 2016, Christopher Amyas Hartnoll (B, 1940-1942). Father of Tim (B, 1968-1973), grandfather of Alexander (B, 2004-2006). Merchant Navy 1942-1963. HMS Worcester 1942. Alfred Holt, Liverpool 1943-1953. Master’s Certificate 1953. Singapore Port 1953-1956. American President Lines 1956-1963. Ship Agency Far East 1963-1970. Own Business from 1971. HEWITSON – In March 2016, Nicholas David Hewitson (C, 1971-1976). Son of Neil (C, 1943-1948), nephew of Ian (C, 1947-1949). Rep Tie (Canoes). Gold DofE. Marketing Manager Barlec-Richfield Ltd 1979-1985. Marketing Director Ratadata Limited since 1986. HIGGINS – On 15th August 2016, William Henry George Higgins (B, 1971-1976). This obituary was adapted by Rik Smart (C, 1970-1975) from the eulogy given by James Barnes (G, 1972-1976) at Will’s funeral: Will Higgins was the second of Pat and Lorna Higgins’ three children, fitting neatly between Stephen and Kate, and was born in Salisbury on the 15th April 1958. Pat was based at Bulford Camp at the time and Will’s childhood was fairly typical for an army family and he moved

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

Brian Lane (Captain) Rugby XV 1946

that he made many great friendships, including with Peter Hullah, then assistant Chaplain at the school. During these years Will developed his love of travel; cycling in France, motorcycling in Devon on the trusty BSA Bantam – a dependable and idiosyncratic machine totally in keeping with Will’s personality – and as a 15 year old on a trip we made to Germany. This involved knowing where we were going but not much else; hitchhiking our way to an address where we hoped to find brother Steve, we endured manic driving, border control problems and ferocious rain. We had a road map, no means of communication, and a degree of determination; on the return journey with Steve in the trusty Higgins purple Mini we slept in and under the car, stayed in the disreputable Hotel Violet in Paris and had the sort of experiences that forge a lifelong friendship. After Teddies, Will went on to read Spanish and European Studies at Warwick University, graduating with a 2:1, and during this time he spent a year in Cordoba. His main focus, to be honest, was on local hostelries rather than university study and he developed a lifelong love of all things Spanish that continued throughout his life – his paellas were legendary – and he became truly Iberian in outlook. At the end of that year we once again

around from Staffordshire via Bahrain to Chester. Schooling varied from the engaging attempts of Service wives in Bahrain to a junior school in Chester and then Swanbourne House in Buckinghamshire, which was a well-regarded prep school for boys. It was when he joined St Edward’s, Oxford that our paths first seriously crossed, although with elder brothers who were exact contemporaries at Swanbourne and Teddies, we most certainly knew each other well before then. Will had a successful career at Teddies playing hockey and cricket to first team level and moved smoothly through O levels and A levels – unlike one or two of his fellow students. Alongside this he trod the boards – he displayed a fine calf in Shakespearean tights - and managed to be both a stalwart of the establishment as a school prefect but also a rakish presence on the social circuit. His greatly trusting housemaster, Fran Pritchard, would have a briefing with his Head of House every Saturday after lunch and would run through the weekend’s plans, including which pubs in Oxford he would be patrolling that evening. Suitably armed with this vital intelligence, Will would ensure we all had a pleasant evening in hostelries off Fran’s beat. It was at Teddies

Will Higgins