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1967 Oaks, with the 14-1 shot Pia. His second was with Peleid in the 1973 St Leger. The horse was the first winner of the race trained in the North of England since Elsey’s father had taken the prize with Cantelo in 1959. Elsey also trained a few jumpers and won the Welsh Champion Hurdle in 1988 with Past Glories. He retired from training in 1996.
From his first marriage, which ended in divorce, Bill had three daughters and a son, Charlie, who trained for eight years at Lambourn before establishing Yardman, a firm providing software programmes for stables, stud farms and livery yards.
In 1969 Bill married Susie Chamberlayne, with whom he had two daughters, one of whom, Ann, was an accomplished amateur jockey before becoming an equine vet. Susie and his six children survive him.
1940
J.G. Marples (Sn)
died in February 2019.
1941
John Norman (Sc)
died 20th January 2018.
His daughter, Alison, writes: “John entered School House in 1937 and listened to Sir Winston Churchill’s speeches on the wireless there. On leaving in 1941, he went to Sandhurst, drove tanks around Wiltshire, then joined the 17th/21st Lancers – part of the First Army in Tunisia. He fought with his unit through Italy, was wounded at Monte Cassino and honed his skills as ADC to General Hull. John was reluctant
to mention the war, as he said: ‘We all lost so much that no one talks about it.’
“John’s grandfather, Owen Owen, had established a department store and property business, which was subsequently directed by his father. After leaving the Army, John helped run the Liverpool stores, joining his father on the board in 1950. He married Shenagh the following year and Olivia arrived at Puddington in 1953, followed by Alison, Virginia and Clare.
“As the quintessential cavalry officer, John was organised, decisive and active. As the Liverpool businessman, he was valued on the boards of Cunard and Royal Insurance for his acumen and drive.
“In 1964 he succeeded his father as Chairman and Managing Director of Owen Owen, overseeing a period of expansion in England, Wales and Canada – from 12 stores in 1964 to a peak of 29 at the end of the 1970s.
“John and Shenagh lived in Mold, North Wales, where he enjoyed hunting with The Flint & Denbigh Hunt, sailing in Anglesey and painting faraway places during globe-trotting holidays.
“From a business point of view, even in the mid-1980s, there were signs of a cold front descending on the UK High Street, with the rise of specialist out-of-town retailers, including Comet and Carpet World. John recommended the Ward White takeover to the family, who – in time – recognised the wisdom of a faithful steward.
“His School connections were maintained at North-West OO Dinners. He took great satisfaction in seeing two of his New Zealand Fitzgerald grandchildren act as ‘gappers’ and his three Shadbolt grandsons boarding at The Berrystead and Laundimer.
“In retirement, John and Shenagh took long winter breaks with Olivia’s family in New Zealand, visiting OO David Ffiske. Sadly, after 53 years together, Shenagh died in 2004. John was lucky enough to get married again, to Margaret, and made a new home in Avebury. He died in January 2018, after a short illness, greatly respected by all.”
1942
I.C. Camp (LS)
died 24th June 2017.
Guy Walkinton (S) died 9th March 2019.
His son, Roger (Sc 76), writes: “His first term at Oundle coincided with his parents’ divorce and the outbreak of the Second World War - not an auspicious start. Nevertheless, he looked back on his time at Oundle with much affection. He was a useful sportsman, but perhaps not quite so distinguished in the classroom.
“Serving on minesweepers in the final year of the war, followed by a transfer to the Army, he saw service with the Royal Sussex Regiment in Italy and Palestine, and maintained his military links thereafter in the Territorial Army, in which he became a Major, until 1964.
“Coming from a long line of farmers on the Lincolnshire Wolds, his interest in agriculture and his natural salesmanship skills led him to become a respected and successful corn merchant, and a director of J.H. Kelway, in time conducting much of his business on horseback on Wednesdays and Saturdays with the Burton Hunt!
“He was also a steward for the annual Lincolnshire Show, run by the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, organiser of horse trials and showjumping events, churchwarden for many decades at Burton by Lincoln and, less overtly, an income tax commissioner in Lincoln.
“In his 80s he moved with his wife, Rachel (whom he married in 1950
and whose family, like his, lived then
on the Lincolnshire coast) to live
near me and my family in Sussex for www
OBITUARIES
THE OLD OUNDELIAN 2018 –2019
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