1646 – Issue 3

2 6 David Wilcox (1942) died peacefully at home in Caversham 25 September 2021 aged 95. He enjoyed a long and very active retirement following a successful career in British Telecom lasting more than 40 years. In particular he enjoyed attending Old Blues meetings at the school in recent years, and kept in touch with many other Old Blues from his era. He is survived by his two sisters Ruth and Margaret who both live locally and his three children Cilla, Robert and John. David Sleep (1953) passed away in December 2020. “Always a staunch supporter of his School and willing to help, David was a member of that generation of pupil pioneers who arrived with headmaster Bernard Inge and ten teachers from Bath Road, Reading, in January 1947 to give the School a new lease of life in very different surroundings. A boarder for six years, leaving in Coronation Year, 1953, he bravely overcame polio and some missed classes to join, and later run successfully, a well-known family business in King’s Road, Reading selling toys and handicrafts. David served as a member of the Old Blues’ Committee for over twenty-five years, became President in 1967, and had the rare distinction, along with “Chris” Way, of being appointed President Emeritus when he retired. Along with Les Coward and a loyal band of parents and friends of the School, David, year on year, played an active part in supporting the Fete Committee, an important body which raised much needed funds for many important School projects at a time when finances were very limited; all done with good humour, kindness and determination. For sixty years, an anniversary celebrated in October 2019, David belonged to Aldworth Lodge, and in recognition of being one of its longest serving members, earned him yet another accolade of “Emeritus” last year. Approachable, modest and with a quiet sense of humour, David was a highly respected supporter of the Old Blues’ Association who will be much missed by his many friends.” (Archivist Peter van Went) “I first met David in September 1946 when the School was located at Bath Rd in Reading, he was a Boarder and I a Day Boy but we were placed next to each other in the classroom and we became friends. In January 1947 the School moved to Holme Park, Sonning. Again, David and I were seated next to each other and our friendship grew. When we got to age 12 to 13 we used to go to Davids Dad’s shop which was a hobby shop located in Reading. We would get aeroplane kits made from balsawood, we would put these together and go to Prospect Park and fly them. David became a Day Boy which meant that we could meet during some evenings and at weekends. When we got a bit older we would meet up a couple of nights a week at the tennis courts in Prospect Park, where we would meet girls from the Abbey School and Kendrick School for chats. When we left school we kept up our friendship, I had a motorbike and David used Dad’s car so that we could meet up in pubs. In 1954 I got married and my wife and I went to live in Toronto, Canada in 1955 but despite this we still kept in touch. IN MEMORIAM