Obituaries |
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Here we remember Westminsterians who are no longer with us. |
Baxter, Jack H, 1952-54, died December 2021 following increasingly poor health. A history teacher, Jack was well-known in the world of genealogy for his authoritative index of Essex Burials 1813-65. A fully active Methodist, Jack attended a Salvation Army hall in his later years.
Best, Michael Charles, Mike, 1972-75, retired on his 60th birthday after 14 years as headteacher of Beominster School, Dorset. He died 16 December 2021, age 67.
Booton, Catherine Ruth, ‘Clare’, (Bradshaw), 1964-67, b. September 1945, d. 16 June 2021 in Yeovil District Hospital, while living in Thorncombe, Chard, Somerset.
Bradley, Mark, 1965-68, d 15 January 2022, and is survived by Hazel (Hunt) 1965-68.
E Derby, Sir John Edwin, 1951-53, b. 16 January 1931, d. 3 August 2021, Professor of Physics, Bristol University 1976-96. Wikipedia link
Galbraith, Dr Iain Baird, MTh 1999, d. 20 December 2021 at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley, with funeral at Lomond Parish Church, where he was organist.
Fellow member of that first Scottish MTh student cohort at Westminster, Rev Dr Graham D S Deans, writes: Iain was President of the Church Service Society 2012-14. He was a teacher by profession, but he may be remembered more for his musical gifts as a Church organist, in which capacity he served for over 60 years.He also had a passion for stained glass, and created a stained glass room in one of the churches where he served.
Dr Galbraith was a recognised authority on stained glass in Scotland, and his work, which spanned 40 years, was accepted into the National Archives of Scotland. He was also a Church of Scotland elder and reader who played an active role in the Presbytery of Dumbarton for many years, and had the rare ability of being able to inspire so many young lives.
There is an extended appreciation of his life and work in Vol 56 of the Record of the Church Service Society on pp. 1962-65.
Gibbon, Jeff ‘John Jeffrey’, 1959-61, d. 3 October 2019, age 81, in Yorkshire, having retired there from his home in Barrow-in-Furness.
Gratton, Richard Edward, Eddie, 1959-61, d. 29 March 2022, age 83 The Guardian obituary
Hadnett, Richard, Dickie, BTh 1998, d. 1 August 2018 at Limerick Junction, Ireland.
Hoffman, Shane Arthur Bradford, BTh 1996-98, d. 19 March 2020. Shane was a co-founder of West London Churches Homeless Concern.
McArdell, Michael John, 1953, d. 1 July 2019, age 89 at Maldon, Essex.
Mumford, Kenneth John, 1948-52, former Westminster College governor, d. 1 November 2021. Son Andrew (alumnus of Southlands College) writes: Born in Bibury in 1928, Ken was brought up largely in the Black Country, where he moved from his parents’ Anglicanism to the local Methodists. Following National Service immediately after the war, in 1948 Ken went to Westminster College, London, for two years to train to teach. There he enjoyed playing rugby and listening to the great Methodist preachers of the day.
Ken’s first post, in 1950, was at the Methodist School in Witney, Oxfordshire. He joined High Street Methodist Church which was to remain his spiritual home for the rest of his life. Already a Local Preacher, he embarked on nearly 70 years as an active and respected preacher. Ken married Joyce in 1952, and in the following year the first of their three children was born.
In 1953 the Methodist School closed, and Ken was one of the staff appointed to the new Secondary Modern School. He and his lifelong friend Bill Patton (’48) were part of a small team of young teachers who took on the challenge of developing the ethos of a new school. He was given extra responsibilities, eventually becoming Head of Lower School, as well as helping the transition to a comprehensive school. At the same time he was contributing to national working parties and committees on the teaching of Religious Education.
In 1970, a new secondary school was planned for Carterton, serving the community around RAF Brize Norton. To his surprise, Ken was appointed as Head, and he took on the challenge of creating a new school with cutting edge ideas, especially in regard to the curriculum and to working with children with special educational needs.
Ken left Westminster College with a teaching qualification, but no degree. Early on he obtained an LCP qualification through home study, which was later given degree equivalence. In 1979 the LEA seconded Ken for a year to study for a Masters Degree at the University of Sussex, an experience he thoroughly enjoyed. He returned to Carterton for the remainder of his career, before retiring in 1986.
During this time, Ken served as a governor of the now Oxford-based Westminster College, and in many capacities at all levels in the Methodist Church. Throughout his career, Ken has a motto on his desk: People matter most. He lived this throughout his professional, personal and church lives. As well as his work in schools, Ken took a close interest in youth work in the town, was a regular contributor to ‘Talking News’, and was a committed member of the Rotary Club. On one occasion he was voted the town’s Citizen of the Year.
In retirement, Ken and Joyce enjoyed travel, especially to India and Nepal, and to Canada. As well as trekking in the Himalayas, including to Everest base camp (age 72!) Ken was a great supporter of the charity Wells for India (now WaterHarvest) and visited many of their projects in India. They also discovered Taizé and visited eleven times.
A teacher to the end, Ken had prepared a session for the church house group he and Joyce hosted, which was due to take place the day after his sudden death. The packed church and the hundreds who viewed the funeral service online were a testament to the esteem in which he was held. Ken is very much missed by Joyce and all the family, including 22 great-grandchildren, and also by the church and the wider community where he made such an impact.
Page, Maurice Haydn, 1951, d. 31 March 2021
Sayers, Frank, 1944-48, d. April 2022.
Sloman, Andrew P, Andy, 1975-78, d.3 November 2021 Westminster College, Oxford UK Facebook page
Staves, Philip, Phil, 1956-58, d. 7 November 2021, age 85, at Friargate Hospital, Northallerton
Sweet, Alan Richard Lobb, 1954, d. 16 January 2022, age 89 after a period of ill health.
Weller (Long), Elizabeth, Liz, 1968-72, d. December 2021 Husband Graham writes: Elizabeth had been battling cancer over a year and sadly succumbed just before Christmas to a particularly aggressive form of the disease. After graduating (myself in Engineering at Loughborough and Elizabeth at Westminster College - N house & P house) we married and moved to London. Elizabeth taught initially in Isleworth, then at Heathland High School in Housnlow, and later at South Lee School in Suffolk. We raised a family of three boys, two of whom have taught both here in the UK and in China. We have lived in Devon since retirmenet, where Liz was an avid gardener, and restored a much-neglected garden to its former glory. Wonderful memories… when we were undergrads, exploring the spires and environs of Oxford and some of the pubs, of course.
Wheeler, Eric A, 1952, d. late-2021 in Portsmouth.
Best, Michael Charles, Mike, 1972-75, retired on his 60th birthday after 14 years as headteacher of Beominster School, Dorset. He died 16 December 2021, age 67.
Booton, Catherine Ruth, ‘Clare’, (Bradshaw), 1964-67, b. September 1945, d. 16 June 2021 in Yeovil District Hospital, while living in Thorncombe, Chard, Somerset.
Bradley, Mark, 1965-68, d 15 January 2022, and is survived by Hazel (Hunt) 1965-68.
E Derby, Sir John Edwin, 1951-53, b. 16 January 1931, d. 3 August 2021, Professor of Physics, Bristol University 1976-96. Wikipedia link
Galbraith, Dr Iain Baird, MTh 1999, d. 20 December 2021 at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley, with funeral at Lomond Parish Church, where he was organist.
Fellow member of that first Scottish MTh student cohort at Westminster, Rev Dr Graham D S Deans, writes: Iain was President of the Church Service Society 2012-14. He was a teacher by profession, but he may be remembered more for his musical gifts as a Church organist, in which capacity he served for over 60 years.He also had a passion for stained glass, and created a stained glass room in one of the churches where he served.
Dr Galbraith was a recognised authority on stained glass in Scotland, and his work, which spanned 40 years, was accepted into the National Archives of Scotland. He was also a Church of Scotland elder and reader who played an active role in the Presbytery of Dumbarton for many years, and had the rare ability of being able to inspire so many young lives.
There is an extended appreciation of his life and work in Vol 56 of the Record of the Church Service Society on pp. 1962-65.
Gibbon, Jeff ‘John Jeffrey’, 1959-61, d. 3 October 2019, age 81, in Yorkshire, having retired there from his home in Barrow-in-Furness.
Gratton, Richard Edward, Eddie, 1959-61, d. 29 March 2022, age 83 The Guardian obituary
Hadnett, Richard, Dickie, BTh 1998, d. 1 August 2018 at Limerick Junction, Ireland.
Hoffman, Shane Arthur Bradford, BTh 1996-98, d. 19 March 2020. Shane was a co-founder of West London Churches Homeless Concern.
McArdell, Michael John, 1953, d. 1 July 2019, age 89 at Maldon, Essex.
Mumford, Kenneth John, 1948-52, former Westminster College governor, d. 1 November 2021. Son Andrew (alumnus of Southlands College) writes: Born in Bibury in 1928, Ken was brought up largely in the Black Country, where he moved from his parents’ Anglicanism to the local Methodists. Following National Service immediately after the war, in 1948 Ken went to Westminster College, London, for two years to train to teach. There he enjoyed playing rugby and listening to the great Methodist preachers of the day.
Ken’s first post, in 1950, was at the Methodist School in Witney, Oxfordshire. He joined High Street Methodist Church which was to remain his spiritual home for the rest of his life. Already a Local Preacher, he embarked on nearly 70 years as an active and respected preacher. Ken married Joyce in 1952, and in the following year the first of their three children was born.
In 1953 the Methodist School closed, and Ken was one of the staff appointed to the new Secondary Modern School. He and his lifelong friend Bill Patton (’48) were part of a small team of young teachers who took on the challenge of developing the ethos of a new school. He was given extra responsibilities, eventually becoming Head of Lower School, as well as helping the transition to a comprehensive school. At the same time he was contributing to national working parties and committees on the teaching of Religious Education.
In 1970, a new secondary school was planned for Carterton, serving the community around RAF Brize Norton. To his surprise, Ken was appointed as Head, and he took on the challenge of creating a new school with cutting edge ideas, especially in regard to the curriculum and to working with children with special educational needs.
Ken left Westminster College with a teaching qualification, but no degree. Early on he obtained an LCP qualification through home study, which was later given degree equivalence. In 1979 the LEA seconded Ken for a year to study for a Masters Degree at the University of Sussex, an experience he thoroughly enjoyed. He returned to Carterton for the remainder of his career, before retiring in 1986.
During this time, Ken served as a governor of the now Oxford-based Westminster College, and in many capacities at all levels in the Methodist Church. Throughout his career, Ken has a motto on his desk: People matter most. He lived this throughout his professional, personal and church lives. As well as his work in schools, Ken took a close interest in youth work in the town, was a regular contributor to ‘Talking News’, and was a committed member of the Rotary Club. On one occasion he was voted the town’s Citizen of the Year.
In retirement, Ken and Joyce enjoyed travel, especially to India and Nepal, and to Canada. As well as trekking in the Himalayas, including to Everest base camp (age 72!) Ken was a great supporter of the charity Wells for India (now WaterHarvest) and visited many of their projects in India. They also discovered Taizé and visited eleven times.
A teacher to the end, Ken had prepared a session for the church house group he and Joyce hosted, which was due to take place the day after his sudden death. The packed church and the hundreds who viewed the funeral service online were a testament to the esteem in which he was held. Ken is very much missed by Joyce and all the family, including 22 great-grandchildren, and also by the church and the wider community where he made such an impact.
Page, Maurice Haydn, 1951, d. 31 March 2021
Sayers, Frank, 1944-48, d. April 2022.
Sloman, Andrew P, Andy, 1975-78, d.3 November 2021 Westminster College, Oxford UK Facebook page
Staves, Philip, Phil, 1956-58, d. 7 November 2021, age 85, at Friargate Hospital, Northallerton
Sweet, Alan Richard Lobb, 1954, d. 16 January 2022, age 89 after a period of ill health.
Weller (Long), Elizabeth, Liz, 1968-72, d. December 2021 Husband Graham writes: Elizabeth had been battling cancer over a year and sadly succumbed just before Christmas to a particularly aggressive form of the disease. After graduating (myself in Engineering at Loughborough and Elizabeth at Westminster College - N house & P house) we married and moved to London. Elizabeth taught initially in Isleworth, then at Heathland High School in Housnlow, and later at South Lee School in Suffolk. We raised a family of three boys, two of whom have taught both here in the UK and in China. We have lived in Devon since retirmenet, where Liz was an avid gardener, and restored a much-neglected garden to its former glory. Wonderful memories… when we were undergrads, exploring the spires and environs of Oxford and some of the pubs, of course.
Wheeler, Eric A, 1952, d. late-2021 in Portsmouth.
