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His brother, Peter (Lx 59), writes: “David left Laxton in 1963 and after working in computing for a few years, emigrated to Australia in 1969. He later said that he was proud to have been one of the last £10 poms.
“In Sydney he worked with several banks and IT companies, developing the then-new world of programming and in later times the intricacies of ATMs. The fact that he carried no formal qualifications was a benefit, as he was able to use grit, determination and an Oundelian sense of questioning other people’s pre-set ideas, which made him successful. He carried these principles of hard work for the rest of his life.
“When he died, he was celebrating the 50th anniversary of his residency in Australia, although this was spoilt, because chemotherapy had taken away his sense of taste and he was unable to enjoy the many bottles he had in his wine cellar.
“He is survived by his wife, Penny, whom he had met in London, his daughter and two grandchildren.”
1968
C.M. Moore (Lx) died in April 2019.
1970
C.A.W. Gubbins (C)
died 13th September 2018.
1971
M.G. Kellaway (Ldr) died 28th August 2018.
1984
Bob Brandler (N)
died 21st June 2019.
Charlie Bennett (N 84), Jimmy Burton (N 84), Harry Clayton (N 84), Jerry Epton (N 84) and Adam Hartley (N 84) write: “The youngest of five siblings (and the fourth brother to go to Oundle), Bob knew the ropes well before he arrived. Strutting about on his bandy legs, he was supremely confident, worldly- wise and independent – admired by
the rest of us, who were so much less sure of ourselves.
“By his own admission, he did not value much of what Oundle had to offer. We knew he had brothers who had gone to Cambridge, a level of attainment that Bob somehow seemed to think was far off, separate and unattainable for himself. Instead, he embraced the art of rebellion. In fact, he delighted in the consternation he brought. Quick- witted and very funny, he would re-enact his exploits, incorporating brilliant impersonations of characters brought to life and magnified into side-splitting comedy by his sharp powers of observation.
“Bob was equally skilled at self- deprecation and this is where he showed how clever he really was, even if he didn’t give a damn about school. His joint attempt with Jimmy Burton to distil crude oil during Chemistry voluntaries resulted in the deployment of fire blankets and water buckets, and a suggestion from Dr Keeling that they might have something more productive to do the following week.
“Bob flunked his A levels but resat his exams and learned to really apply himself at LSE. He quickly turned his analytical intelligence to the cut and thrust of business, and created a highly successful commodities business. After a time with Bear Stearns and Unilever in London, he joined the family trading business in Nigeria. There he set up his own successful and highly respected spice-trading company, supplying many of the world’s leading tea and spice brands.
“He became a valued and trusted friend to many and lived a very successful life, blending work, family and sport (tennis and skiing) in a way that was a triumphant reversal of the approach he had shown at school.
“Extremely intelligent, hilariously funny, great company and a wonderful storyteller, Bob was a generous host and a devoted father to his three children – Nina, Lucian and Elsa. His confidence sometimes masked his generosity of spirit. It was Bob who telephoned Mr Freebairn, 20 years after leaving the
School, to thank him for his hard work as our Housemaster and to note his personal appreciation for the opportunities he had been given. And it was Bob who organised the first New House 1984 reunion, 25 years after we left the School.
“His wit, humour, independence, intelligence and friendship were greatly appreciated, and through those qualities Bob gave us a sense of camaraderie that united our year group.”
1985
Chris Wood (Ldr)
died 22nd December 2018.
His wife, Julia, and his mother, Anne, write: “Chris, as he was known to all his friends, died of Huntington’s Disease (HD), aged only 52, after many years of illness.
“Chris was born into an RAF family and so toured the country with his twin brother, Mark (Ldr 85), before going to board at the Duke of Kent School at the age of nine. Both went on to Oundle at 13.
“Chris was a happy child and this
happiness he carried into his adult life, where he was described as smart, cheeky and smiling. At Oundle, his study was fully of banter, with people coming and going.
“He loved sport, played hockey at school and golf in the holidays. The latter he continued until he could do it no longer. In 1985 he was a School Prefect. He then worked in the City as a legal intern, before spending the summer as a campsite host in France.
“In 1986 he went to Exeter
University to study Law, where he
made lots of new friends, who www
OBITUARIES
THE OLD OUNDELIAN 2018 –2019
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