Obituaries

Robin Preston (U, 1943-2023)

Liam Strong (L,1956-63) and Robin Preston (U, 1954-61), 2015 OPU (London branch) Dinner. 

30 September 1943 - 24 August 2023

Ian Sanderson and James Wilson represented the OPU (London branch) at Robin Preston's funeral at Putney Vale Crematorium on Tuesday 12 September 2023. The funeral and wake were very well run in a congenial atmosphere - with entertaining resumes of Robin's life. There was a good attendance of Robin's family and friends almost filling the chapel.

Ian Sanderson recalls first knowing Robin (about two years younger than him) when they lived close together as small boys in Enniskillen; Ian in Orchard Terrace and Robin in the house above the Hamilton and Preston garage between Orchard Terrace and Forthill Street (later the site of the Ritz cinema). He saw little of Robin when the family and the business moved to the Sligo Road andthroughout his time at Portora (1950-58), only really re-connecting with him at the London OPU.

Robin’s daughter, Amy, read Canon Henry Scott Holland’s poem, ‘All is Well’.

The Eulogy was given by Professor Charles Warlow, Emeritus Professor of Medical Neurology, University of Edinburgh. Charles was a friend and contemporary of Robin's at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge and as young men afterwards they shared flats in London (though Robin vetoed one suggestion of Charles that they live on a canal boat).At Cambridge, Robin was heading towards a career in law and Charles towards medicine. Charles mentioned Robin's gift of empathy and his interest in photography. He also recounted an amusing incident at Sidney when he accidentally hypnotised Robin (while trying someone else) and was able to get him to do lots of different things.

Following Charles’ Eulogy, David Hanna (life-long friend and brother-in-law) gave a Tribute dealing with Robin’s upbringing in Fermanagh and their 75 years of friendship. First, he described the beauty of Fermanagh and contrasted this to the remains of the war years comprising tanks, jeeps and other equipment left by the American army and which formed the playgrounds of their early years. He told how, though they had all passed the 11+ and progressed to Portora, Robin’s academic ability became more and more apparent especially post Junior certificate. He also developed as a sportsman representing the school (and later Sidney Sussex) at rowing. This would have delighted George Andrews who recognised Robin's academic promise and mentored him in his application to Sidney Sussex College. Robin’s trip to Cambridge for an interview exceeded expectations as he was not only admitted but was awarded an exhibition. An out of school activity recounted by David was Robin's practice of responding in writing as 'a concerned citizen' to The Impartial Reporter on material he deeply disagreed with. The editor (JimmyBaker), in fact, was well aware who the 'concerned citizen' was!

Amy Preston followed David’s Tribute with a few personal words of her own, saying that his Tribute had helped her better understand her father’s, and, therefore, her own, Irish identity.

Robin’s brother, Derek, was at the funeral together with his son Mathew who used to come to the OPU (London branch) Dinner but has been unable to recently having moved to Litchfield. After the service Ian spoke with Derek who left school to join the family business, Hamilton and Preston, and who had many entertaining tales of how it had disposed of some of the abandoned equipment mentioned above.

After Cambridge Robin pursued a legal career in London. He was an active member of the OPU (London branch) for many years, serving as President between 2014-16. Because of ill health and then COVID it had been a number of years since we had been in contact with Robin, but he had been receiving and appreciating all our email updates on OP news. 

C A K Cullimore, CMG, MA (M, 1946-52) 

Died: 5 February 2021

Charles went to Portora in 1946 and stayed until 1952, by which time he was head boy of Munster House and worked with H S Scales towards their winning the House Championship for the first time since 1933.

Following a term as Head Boy of the School and having obtained a place at Trinity, Oxford to read Modern History, he spent his gap year in Huyton Hill Prep School with Major ‘The Man’ Butler and his somewhat eccentric brother before going up to University, achieving his MA degree in 1955.

Following a short service commission with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, in 1957 he returned to Oxford for the one-year Devonshire Overseas Course in preparation for service with HM Overseas Civil Service. Posted to Tanganyika as a District Officer, he served in Kondoa, Mpwapwa and Kongwa successively before leaving the Service in 1961 and joining ICI, four of his ten years with them being in Malaysia and Singapore as Personnel Manager for the Group.

In 1971 he joined HM Diplomatic Service, starting in Bonn and moving to New Delhi and Canberra, returning to the UK as Head of Department in the FCO responsible for Southern African countries. In 1989 he was appointed High Commissioner to Uganda and spent the rest of his time there until retirement from the Diplomatic Service in 1993. His being awarded the CMG speaks volumes for his success with the Service.

Having sampled 'retirement' for a year or so, he launched the Southern African Business Association (SABA) in 1995 with a partner, and was also Chairman of the British African Business Association.

Charles has many fond memories of his time at Portora, including playing cricket, running cross country, dramatics under Mickey Murfet, along with an inordinate amount of time in the CCF under Buddie Halpin. OP Muir Coburn was at Portora with Charles and remembers him ‘as being blessed with more brains than the rest of us, leading to his entry to Trinity College, Oxford. In those days Oxon was not a university that many Portorans aspired to in the face of the blandishments offered by George Andrews on behalf of Cambridge. Charles must have resisted these by choosing the ‘other place’ in which to study and we know now how well Portora and Oxford suited him and his particular talents, all of which led him to the distinguished career he pursued’.

An active supporter of the OPU, serving as President of the London branch (1994-5), for many years Charles hosted committee meetings at The Royal Over-Seas League in London.

For those wishing to know more of his life, Charles published his memoirs in 2021, ‘The Last Days of Empire and the Worlds of Business and Diplomacy’. A personal story, as well as covering his childhood and time at Portora during the 1940s and 1950s, they recount an insider’s experience of politics and international relations during his working life – modest, graphic and full of incident.

 

Dr Michael West, BSc, PhD, Dsc (U, 1949-55)

Died: 25 November 2020

John Michael West was born 27 August 1937, the second son of a well known Fermanagh family involved in quarrying, farming and timber and grew up in Ballycassidy. He is a distant kinsman of Harry West, MP (OP, 1929-35) a one time Ulster Unionist member for Enniskillen in the Stormont Government of Northern Ireland (1954-73) and later Fermanagh and South Tyrone member at Westminster.

Michael followed Harry West and his elder brother into Portora In 1949 and was assigned to Ulster House. Academically, his strength lay in science and mathematics and after Portora he decided to study Engineering at Queens University Belfast (QUB) and Civil Engineering in particular.

In his primary degree at Queens he gained first class honours in 1960 and was invited to join the faculty as a part time lecturer and combine these duties with reading for a doctorate in soil mechanics, the aspect of Civil Engineering which had attracted him most as an undergraduate. 

Half way through his doctorate he met and married Ruth who was a fellow student at Queens. On completion of his time at university Michael and Ruth went to Birmingham and in 1964, Michael joined a small division of the British engineering group GKN plc, where he started as an engineer dealing with soil analysis and advising clients on foundations – in pile construction and especially in the emerging processes of soil improvement.By the mid-1970s he became a director of the UK business, with responsibility for all aspects of ground engineering.

In 1978, Michael was asked by GKN to relocate to Germany to join the management team in the Keller Grundbau which had been acquired several years earlier. The business was incurring heavy losses and staff morale was low. After only a few months Dr West was appointed Geschaftsfuhrer (Managing Director) and, working closely with his German colleagues, the business was turned around. The Company enhanced its reputation by carrying out work on two of the world’s biggest dams at Tarbela and Mosul. By 1981, the German business was thriving and Michael returned to England to become Managing Director of the Foundations Division of GKN which included Keller and its sister companies elsewhere.

By the late 1980s, however, fundamental change took place and after many months of complex negotiations, a management buyout of the division was completed early in 1990. The business was renamed the Keller Group, and under Dr West’s guidance grew year on year to become a global player in this specialised field from its main bases in UK, Germany and the US. Complete independence was finally achieved in 1994 when the Keller Group, with Michael as Chief Executive, was successfully floated on the London Stock Exchange.

Over the years, Michael was a generous supporter of the School, officially opening the Robert Northridge Boathouse. He was a regular attendee of the OPU (London branch) dinner and was President during 2012-14.

 

John Gill (C, 1936-45)

Died: 24 March 2020

John passed away in Woodbridge, Suffolk on 24 March 2020. He attended Gloucester House before Portora where he excelled at rugby, athletics and rowing which remained lifelong passions – especially rugby. After Portora he had a year at StAndrew’s College, Dublin before reading medicine at Trinity College, Dublin where he played for the 1st XV and ran for the university. He played rugby for Leinster Schools, Dublin Wanderers, Moseley, Devonport Services and the Navy. After graduating, he joined the Royal Navy and did his national service on HMS Belfast. Amongst other highlights, he was posted to HMS Terror in Singapore (1968-70) and was medical officer on The Royal Yacht Britannia (1973-75). He remained in Suffolk upon retirement.

Muir Coburn’s comments

I did know Surgeon Commander J C Gill, strangely known by his nickname of ‘Cuddy’. I have no idea how that came about, but he was a School Prefect when I moved from Gloucester House to Portora in 1945 and was a major element in Connacht House. Enormously senior to me, of course, and a rugby player of some note. His family was from Lisburn and I think he had his early schooling at Friends School in that town – a Quaker establishment, I believe. He read medicine at either TCD or Queen’s – I think it was the former – and joined the Navy in which he ended up becoming a distinguished medic. as shown by the high rank he achieved in the Service. He was also a Freemason of a very exclusive Lodge which I think was called either simply the Navy Lodge or the Royal Naval Lodge. It tended to meet in Ipswich, for some reason, close enough to where the Surgeon Commander lived. I stayed with him there once, when I was standing in for George Andrews who was to have attended a Celebratory Lodge Meeting of this Naval Lodge. Being an ex Naval man himself, George was extremely disappointed to have to miss this Meeting – I can’t remember why, but I was pleased to be there in his place and John Gill and his Doctor wife were charming and generous hosts. The late rabble rouser, Billy Bloodsmith OP was there too; it was a lively evening to say the least, but John Gill was one of the nicest blokes one could meet in any circumstances. I am very sorry to learn of his death.

Sir Anthony Hart (C, 1955-64)

Died Tuesday 2 July 2019 

The son of a country vet, he was born and raised in Fermanagh. He attended Portora (Connacht, 1955-64), before going on to read law at Trinity College, Dublin.

Sir Anthony was called to the Northern Ireland Bar in 1969 and to the Bar of England and Wales in 1975.

He was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1983 and a County Court judge in 1985.

He was Recorder of Londonderry from 1985-90, and of Belfast from 1997-2005, and was the first person to be appointed as Presiding Judge of the County Courts in Northern Ireland in 2002.

In January 2005 he was promoted to be a High Court judge, and until his retirement in January 2012 he was responsible to the Lord Chief Justice for the pre-trial case management of all the crown court trials conducted by High Court judges.

Sir Anthony was described as someone who made himself available to all those who needed him and who sought his counsel, adding that he had “beautiful manners” and was a “Christian gentleman”.

Sir Anthony served on the Governors and on the Trustees of both Portora and Enniskillen Royal Grammar School, bringing his dedication and expertise to both schools. Very proud of being an OP, on Speech Day or on big occasions there was no one who sang the school hymn (Abide with me) with more pride or roared the school motto with more conviction.

Rowing was Sir Anthony’s passion, and he supported the School’s boats throughout his life. There is a sort of tragic completeness that it was after watching the Enniskillen Royal Grammar School crews once again victorious at Henley Regatta, and after entertaining them with his usual generosity and fun, that Tony fell so seriously ill. SirAnthony died suddenly on Tuesday 2 July 2019 aged 73 after suffering a heart attack.

Sir Anthony was guest speaker at the 59th OPU (London branch) dinner in 2012.

He was laid to rest at Devenish Parish Churchyard, Monea, Co Fermanagh.

 

Douglas Learmond (M, 1954-62) 

Died on 16 April 2019

Old Portoran Douglas William Learmond (Munster 1954-62) died peacefully on the 16 April 2019, aged 74, of renal failure arising out of diabetic kidney disease. He was for many years a regular attender at the OPU (London branch) dinners but his health had been deteriorating over some time which is why he had not made it to them in the past couple of years. 

With a strong background of mathematics, Douglas spent his entire career with Reuters as a commodities specialist in London. He joined as a commodities correspondent in 1976 after working for a commodities wire service and as a trading executive for a firm of sugar dealers. He became bureau chief in the London City office in 1984 and later chief commodities correspondent and commodities editor.

He finally retired to Bruton, Somerset, where he rebuilt and refurbished an old farmhouse and took a great interest local history, becoming chairman of a small local museum in Bruton, Somerset.

A strong supporter of both Portora and OPU, Douglas was OPU (London branch) President 1998-2000 and together with Charles Cullimore, worked for some time on the Atlantic College sixth form proposal for Portora.

 

Bishop Henry Richmond (C, 1949-54) 

Died on 16 March 2017

Henry Richmond was born in January 1936, with his twin Evelyn third and fourth of seven children, to Francis Richmond, a farmer, and his wife Lena (née Crawford). Both parents were natives of Co Cavan. The family lived in the townland of Clonkee, south of Newtownbutler near the border with Monaghan.

He was educated at Drumully National School in Co Monaghan, Sligo Grammar School, Portora (initially a day-boy and then subsequently a boarder for his last five years), Trinity College Dublin, and the University of Strasbourg.

Ordained in 1964, he began his career with a curacy at Woodlands, in Yorkshire. after which he was: a Chaplain at Sheffield Cathedral; Vicar of St George's, Sheffield (during which time he was also a University Chaplain); and Warden of Lincoln Theological College, before becoming Bishop of Repton, as the Suffragan Bishop of Derby was titled. After 14 years as the Derby Suffragan he retired to Oxford in 1999.

Henry was an active supporter of the OPU (London branch), attending many of the annual dinners and was a key member of the group of London OPs who researched and produced the 2009 history of the School, ‘The School on the Hill’. He studiously edited many draft chapters of the book, corrected spellings and rationalised typesetting errors. Henry also compiled and contributed to the reminiscence section with Ian Scales (C, 1936-45).

He died on 16 March 2017 at the age of 81.

 

Major W Miles Henry, RE (retd), FRICS (C,1946-52)

Died on 12 January 2016

Miles, a third generation OP, was born in the Far East but spent his early school years with relatives in Cork and Kerry, finally settling in Monaghan Town after his parents retired from colonial life.

Trained as a military cartographer with the RE Survey Service. This expertise led to civilian work in digital mapping and cartography for many countries throughout the world. He was a Director of several international digital mapping companies.

An active member of the OPU (London branch), Miles was President of the OPU (London branch) in 1988-89 and heavily involved in the planning and organisation of the Annual Dinner.

He was of the main contributors to Portora - The School on the Hill - a quatercentenary history: 1608-2008, responsible for writing Chapters 1 and 2 (History and Buildings), drafting several other sections and compiling various tables and annexes.

 

Ian Scales (C, 1936-45)

Died on 24 January 2015

Ian Scales was the elder of two brothers, who were sons of Henry Scales, an early Housemaster of Munster and appointed the first Head of Science at Portora. Ian was educated (aged 4) at the Enniskillen Girls Collegiate before going to Gloucester House under the headmaster MrBarnes. Ian used to boast that he avoided his father in the Upper School by selecting Connaught under Mr Murfet and joining the Air Cadet Force under Mr Barnes, because his father was the Commanding Officer of the OTC.

On completion of his time at Portora (unlike his brother) Ian eschewed TCD and enrolled in various technical apprenticeships in London, before joining the Colonial Service in Nigeria as a lecturer specialising in telecommunications. During his tour in Nigeria he married Valerie Taylor, who had been a junior matron at Portora. After some years Ian retired from the Colonial Service to head up a telecommunication division for UPI in Fleet Street. Ian then formed his own telecommunication company and ran a very successful organisation before deciding to retire and write guides and histories around his local area. Ian was Secretary of the London branch and participated in the organisation of many OPU events with his printing skills; he became President in 1981. Ian also took a leading role as co-ordinating editor for ‘Portora – the School on the Hill – a quatercentenary history 1608-2008’.

Ian died peacefully in Croydon University Hospital on 24 January 2015, aged 87. A memorial service, attended by several hundred friends, was held at his local church St Johns Evangelist, Old Coulsdon. The London OPU was represented by Charles Cullimore (Munster 1946-52) who with his wife signed the Book of Condolence on behalf of the OPU (London branch) and current fellow members of the branch committee.

 

Lowry de Montfort OBE (M, 1937-44)

Died on 22 December 2014

Lowry de Montfort (Munster 1937-44) was one of three brothers, from a clerical family in West Cork, to attend Portora. In 1944, after leaving Portora, Lowry was granted a commission as a British Officer in the Indian Army and served with the 2nd Punjab Regiment until Indian independence, when all British Officers were retired or re-cap badged to British regiments. Lowry transferred to the Royal Ulster Regiment, seconded to the Parachute Regiment in Palestine. He was in the last detail to leave the country when the British terminated the Palestine Mandate.

Lowry now became a commercial tea planter with company offices in London and Colombo. In time he became a director of Gordon Frazer & Co Ltd. However the Sri Lankan government decided to nationalise all private and commercial tea facilities, so Lowry had to leave his home and business in Sri Lanka. On his departure Lowry was awarded the OBE for his services to the community in SriLanka. Fortunately he obtained a senior administrative position, in Dubai, with Sir William Halcrow (Consulting Engineers). Halcrow were the major consulting engineers in the Middle East with tens of thousands of technical staff and a billion dollar list of projects in the Emirates and Saudi Arabia. On retirement Lowry went to live in Hammersmith and busied himself with compiling a family history, regimental activities for his Indian regiment and becoming a permanent member of the Old Portora Union (London branch). Lowry organised no less than eleven formal dinners at the Army and Navy Club and was active on the twelfth, when he died on 22 December 2014. He was made Honorary President of the OPU (London branch) for his extensive involvement in UK branch activities. The London committee have now decided to purchase a gavel for use by the President and to inscribe this gavel with the dates of Lowry’s life, as a tribute to his work.