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years’ National Service in the Royal Engineers in Malaya, he went to Cambridge in 1954, reading Natural Sciences and then Economics, before going to the Royal School of Mines at Imperial College, London, to read Mining Engineering. He joined the Anglo-American Corporation and De Beers, working predominantly in southern Africa in underground and open-pit mines – from De Beers’ diamond mines in Kimberley and Jagersfontein, to the Escalante silver mine in Utah, USA, and the Finsch diamond mine in the North-West Cape. In 1971 he was sent to Australia as senior mining engineer for two years to evaluate mining opportunities, before returning to Botswana to manage the major Orapa and Letlhakane diamond mines.
“In 1978 Hugh returned to England with his family and was appointed Reader in Mineral Industry at Imperial College, London, teaching postgraduates and supervising research. He was also a consultant for mining projects in Liberia, Angola, South Africa and Western Australia. In 1987 he was appointed mining advisor for Rio Tinto Zinc for a range of projects and operations in Africa, North America and South America, and became a director of RTZ Technical Services Limited in 1989. He was President of the Institute of Mining and Metallurgy in 1991-2.
“Hugh and his wife, Ann, were married for almost 60 years and had a large, close family (two sons, three daughters and 13 grandchildren). He retained his strong Anglican faith, cemented during his university days, and was churchwarden of the Parish of St Mary’s, Harrow-on-the-Hill, for seven years.
“He and Ann always provided a welcoming home for their many friends and the wider family from around the world. Despite having suffered his first heart attack at 36 and had a series of subsequent cardiac problems, Hugh continued a full, active and successful life, maintaining his interest not only in his profession, but also in the church, music, his cello, birdwatching and cricket.”
J.W.T. Brewer (D)
died in November 2018.
C. Emmott (Sn) died 12th May 2019.
Richard Holroyd (St A) died 23rd November 2018.
His daughter, Henrietta, writes: “Born in Leeds on 7th March 1934, Richard was the second son of Thomas Arthur Holroyd, who was in the weaving trade, and Gladys Macgregor, a French refugee from World War One.
“His early schooling took place in Grange-over-Sands, overlooking Morecambe Bay, a place his parents had moved to at the start of the Second World War to escape the German bombing in Leeds. Richard followed his older brother, John, to Oundle in 1947 and was to spend what he later said were some of the happiest years of his life there.
“He graduated from Leeds University with a degree in Textile Design, before starting a long career in the textiles business, which culminated in him being appointed Managing Director of Leeds Group, a very successful publicly-quoted company in the 1970s and 1980s.
“In 1960 he married the artist and catwalk model, Jennifer Highsted, and set up home at Stone Gappe, a large Georgian house in the West Yorkshire countryside, where he was to live for 30 years.
“Retirement came in the early 1990s and with it a move to the Cotswolds, where he was a convivial host, frequently entertaining friends from far and wide.
“His many interests included playing bridge, backgammon,
collecting stamps and travelling, especially to South Africa, where he usually went every February.
“Richard is survived by his wife of 58 years, his two sons (James and Thomas), daughter Henrietta and eight grandchildren.”
B.L. Hurst (S) died in 2018.
P.L.’E Seward (Sn) died 5th May 2019.
Mike Skliros (Sn)
died 31st October 2018.
His wife writes: “Mike came to Oundle as a minor scholar and thoroughly enjoyed the sporting life, gaining School colours in cricket and fives, and sundry House colours. He was a member of the legendary Assassins (1949-52 cricket XI), who continued to meet, either to play cricket or socialise, for the next 69 years. He was a founder member of the Chancel Choir, under Hilaire Kelynack. He won the School’s fives championships, singles and doubles, in 1952.
“Going on to Clare College, Cambridge, via National Service with the Royal Engineers in Korea, he read Natural Sciences, then Theology in his third year, with John Robinson as his tutor. He was an enthusiastic member of the Cambridge University Air Squadron, gaining some 250 flying hours, and sang with the now famous Clare Choir. He captained the university’s fives team in 1956.
“After a curacy, he served as
Assistant Chaplain at Denstone
under Barry Trapnell, who let him
take the RAF section boys up in an www
THE OLD OUNDELIAN 2018 –2019
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OBITUARIES