St Edward's Rhubarb Issue 5

ST EDWARD’S r h u b a r b

29

DEAN – On 1st October 2015, Anthony Michael Roger Peter Dean (E, 1955-1959), brother to Peter Dean (E, 1953-1958). Anthony was a Chartered Quantity Surveyor and Arbitrator, FRICS FCIArb, and was a partner at Hallam- Eames and Parry, Auckland, from 1968, before opening his own practice in 1976. Anthony was also a part-time Lecturer at Auckland University. EASTER – On 11th January 2016, John Easter (G, 1959- 1964). from Daily Squash Report ; John Nicholas Cave Easter was born in Shawford, Hampshire on the 17th December 1945, went to school at St Edward’s, Oxford, where he excelled at most sports, and then to Christ Church College, Oxford, where he got an honours degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. His later life was spent in the financial world. Whilst at Oxford (1966 – 1968) he was awarded Blues for cricket and squash. He was a right-arm medium pace bowler and took 58 first-class wickets, the highlight being his 5-62 against Northants which included a hat-trick. At squash he got ‘Blues’ in 1966 and 1967, the latter being a high-quality match against another very good player, Philip Ayton from Sussex. John was a good volleyer, his height giving him a big advantage, and between 1971 and 1983, he played 31 times for GB and England, turned professional in the 1973-74 season after leading GB at the World Championships in South Africa, where they came a very close second. He reached No. 9 in the world and, along with Jonah Barrington, was one of the British professional players who were responsible for raising the profile of the sport at that time. Described by Rex Bellamy, the doyen of squash writers, as a ‘matinee idol’ (John had done The following has been taken

some male modelling), he was everyone’s favourite player. In both senses of the word he was a gentleman; loved by many, had humility, was humorous, gave his time willingly, helped up-and-coming players, and was a very fine player himself. Stories abound about his love of food and at mealtimes John could always be found at the head of any queue. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2006 and throughout the rest of his life, he always made light of his illness and was happiest when he was with family and friends. He leaves his wife Glynis, his children Nick, Gemma and Mark, the boys being very fine professional rugby players, and three grandchildren. FABIAN – On 1st March 2015, Peter Fabian (C, 1936- 1938), aged 95. The following obituary has kindly been provided by Timothy Blake; Peter was German by origin, born in Berlin just after the end of the First World War. His father was a senior civil servant, in charge of the German Railways. Peter was having lunch with his father one day when Josef Goebbels called by for a chat – he must have been one of the last people alive who had met the arch-propagandist of the Nazis. Peter was wholly out of sympathy with the Nazi regime (a spell in the Hitler Youth did nothing to make him positive about it, although the decision to join was his own, one he later much regretted). Fluent in English, the result of having had an English nanny, he persuaded his father to let him leave Germany and finish his education in England. He did so, although the use of foreign currency to do this – actually a capital offence in Germany at the time – saw his father briefly interned in a concentration camp. Peter enthusiastically embraced life at St Edward’s

Prefect (Head of School), Captain of the 1st XV, Captain of the Athletics Team and Captain of Hockey. I seem to remember that he set a school record for the 100 yards and I still have a photograph in an old scrapbook taken from the local Oxford newspaper of Graham Cooper in a 100 yard race. I was a junior in his day, and I don’t suppose he even noticed me, because a two year difference at that age and in those days was an insurmountable barrier. But a junior could admire a Head of School, and I have admired and respected Graham Cooper ever since. Editor's Note: These tributes to Graham Cooper also appear in the current issue of the Chronicle . CURRY – On 21st December 2015, Michael Robin Curry (B, 1949-1951). Michael joined the RAF in 1953, before working in the motor trade from 1955-1963, the Automobile Association from 1967-1986, and Allied Dunbar from 1986- 1989. He was the owner of health food shops in Truro and Falmouth from 1989. DAVIES – On 28th September 2015, Michael John Herbert Davies (E, 1943-1947). Michael joined the Army in 1948, before leaving as a Lt Col in 1969. He obtained his MA in 1974 and retired in 1984. DAWSON – On 28th January 2016, Anthony Dawson (D, 1946-1951). At School, Anthony was a House Prefect, a Chorister, and rowed in the 1st VIII. After leaving School and National Service, he joined Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation and travelled extensively in the Far East and Middle East. He retired in 1987 as CEO for the Philippines. He was married to Sarah (née Scholes) with two children.

O B I T U A R I E S

Peter Fabian

and had a place to study at Cambridge University when war broke out. As an enemy alien he was immediately interned and after a while was actually transported to Australia (not many people know about this curious episode in our history). After he had been in Australia for a year or two the authorities realised that there was no point in locking up people who had almost all left Germany because of their hatred of the regime, and Peter returned to Britain to join the army. Despite being in the British army fighting a war against Germany he was still German – he only became a British citizen in 1947. He was involved in the liberation of Europe and was one of the earliest to enter the Belsen concentration camp. I asked him once what his reaction was to that. ‘It made me ashamed to be human’ was his reply. After the war he returned to complete his much delayed degree in German and French at Cambridge. He found himself in the early 1950s teaching English part-time at the London School of English, before moving on to Holland Park in 1969. He felt that the newly invented language laboratory gave the opportunity for a test that was less subjective, since candidates could be recorded