Years at school: 1948-55
The younger son of Robert (“Tarzan”), BWS teacher from 1922 to 1963, Richard read English at Christ’s College, Cambridge and after National Service embarked on a distinguished career as a reference/research librarian principally for the London Borough of Lewisham but earlier also for the library of the Royal Society of Medicine.
Like his late brother Nick, Richard was a very private man, but he had many lifelong friends including some from his class at school, all of whom testify to his warm personality, a generous and courteous life, his humour, and a selfless and loving concern for friends, colleagues, neighbours and acquaintances. Outside of work, he took a keen interest in the arts and was a regular visitor to galleries. He enjoyed gardening and for a time was secretary of the local allotments association. He was well read, and from an early age. At a parents evening he was selected to talk on the merits of William Thackeray before many of us had even heard of the novelist’s name. He never married.
Typical of the man, he specified that there should be no funeral or memorial ceremony following his death after a significant battle with cancer; but he will be long remembered by those who knew him.
Stephen Quigley
