St Edward's Rhubarb Issue 5

ST EDWARD’S r h u b a r b

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young adults. With Mary he was lucky enough within a very happy and caring marriage to share a mutual hobby - golf. From when my mother took up the sport, they played together almost every day. Losing Mary some seven years after Cate was a very sad blow, but in his ever-stoical way he endured and continued to enjoy the company of friends and family, bearing up through what must have been some occasionally lonely moments. Tim was fulfilled in his life and became reconciled to his death once his final illness was diagnosed. Tim always enjoyed the company, not only of his contemporaries but also of each younger generation, with all their aspirations and hopes. He absorbed their culture skyping with his iPad and sending and receiving emails and pictures to keep up with their lives. Personally, I shall remember my father and my kindest friend as my guiding light, an eager schoolboy’s cricket coach and wrestling opponent, a patient and uncritical listener, a delightful conversationalist with an enchanting sense of humour and a wonderful golf and snooker partner. His leaving us has rocked the canoe I paddle unsteadily through my life, as faithful to his principles in his wake as I can be. BARLOW – On 22nd March 2016, John Barlow (F, 1946- 1951). The following obituary has kindly been provided by John’s sister, Jill; John was born in Jinja, Uganda, and attended St Mary’s Boarding School in Nairobi, Kenya, before he and his sister were then sent to boarding schools in the UK. John went to St Edward’s and his sister to Headington School. After leaving

profound impression upon him and he became a committed pacifist for the rest of his life and remained angrily opposed to all military intervention. Returning to England in 1948, he went up to Hertford College. I don’t believe he was over-industrious, but more importantly, in what must have been one of his happiest memories, he met Mary, whom, by chance or possibly by arrangement, he sat next to on a bus coming back from a holiday in Scotland. They remained together for over 50 years until her death in 2003, and I cannot believe that there has been a happier nor more suited couple. After graduating from Oxford as a geologist, Tim found work in the steel and coal mining industries in the East Midlands. He and Mary set up home in Melton Mowbray, where they had three children, Robert, Catherine (always Cate as she grew older) and me, and their home was always open to their children’s friends. His childhood and experiences in the war, I believe, made him the man he was. Caring, loving, forgiving, sensitive and whilst being very family oriented, open to the widest imaginable set of friends. In fact he had that remarkable ability to be interested in everyone as individuals and in their lives, friends and hobbies. Tim and Mary did suffer one great tragedy in their lives, when Cate died of leukaemia in 1996. They were difficult times, but they moved down to Applegarth and had the pleasure and recompense of helping Jim bring up Tim and Hannah during the first hard year after Cate’s death. In fact, I’ve often thought that, for both of them, their grandchildren were their greatest pleasure and Tim was very lucky in being able to see most of them grow up into

KCB in 1994 and GBE in 1999. In retirement Abbott was involved with charities including the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the Marine Society and Sea Cadets, the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society and the Royal Naval Museum. The museum was his biggest challenge and, faced with several competing heritage organisations in Portsmouth and elsewhere, all Abbott’s charm and quiet negotiating skills were needed to merge them into one new body, the National Museum of the Royal Navy. Abbott married Susan Grey in 1965; she survives him with their three daughters. ANNEAR – In 2015, John Annear (F, 1942-1946). John was a Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve from 1946 to 1948, before becoming a solicitor. (B, 1938-1942), brother of Peter Barclay (B, 1936-1940). The following obituary has kindly been provided by his son James; Tim grew up with his two elder brothers, John and Peter, first in St Mary’s in the Scilly Isles. When he was eight, he was sent to board at the Dragon and was much treasured by his grandfather, “the Skipper”, and his great-uncle Hum, who had succeeded the Skipper as headmaster. In 1942, after leaving St Edward’s, he joined the army and once through officer training was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Highland Light Infantry (the HLI). He saw active service in Holland and Germany and was mentioned in despatches, finishing off in the army as a Captain. His experiences in Germany and Palestine made a BARCLAY – On 8th August 2015, Timothy Francis Barclay

O B I T U A R I E S

John Barlow

St Edward’s, he studied Law at Pembroke College, Oxford, followed by a one year Colonial Service Course. He returned to Kenya in the Administration where he married Ann, and he and his family returned to the UK in 1964, settling back in Oxford in1967. John worked for Imperial Life of Canada heading the team in Abingdon for many years. After leaving Imperial Life, he joined the Pembroke College Development Team. On retirement from the Pembroke Development Office he became fully involved with his local and wider communities until his sudden death. He is survived by his wife, Ann and their four daughters: Jane, Caroline, Gillie and Sarah. BARON – On 19th November 2014, Captain Patrick George Smart Baron (D, 1945-1949). Patrick joined the Army in1950 commissioned from RMA Sandhurst to the North Staffordshire Regiment. After leaving the army in 1960, he became a wine shipper at City Vintagers Ltd. BELL – In 2015, Stuart James Bell (C, 1936-1940). Stuart trained at Guy’s Hospital from 1941 to 1946. He worked in General Dental Practice from 1949 to 1984.