Page 63 - Old Ratcliffian Magazine 2017

62 OBITUARIES OBITUARIES 63

JOHN RICHARD ROSKELL ATTLEY JOHN EDWARD JOLLIFFE

OLD RATCLIFFIAN 1940 - 1946 OLD RATCLIFFIAN 1941 – 1948
DECEMBER 1928 - JANUARY 2017 AUGUST 31ST 1929 – AUGUST 11TH 2017

John passed away peacefully at his home in Cobourg, Ontario, John was born in 1929 as the third of seven children and the
surrounded by his family, on January 25th 2017 at the age of 88. eldest of four boys. Like his brothers, Noel (48), Pat (53) and
He was the beloved and devoted husband of Barbara, and brother David (64), John benefited from a Ratcliffe education. At school,
of Joan and David. He was the loving father of Clare, Martha, Mark he was a fine sportsman, as well as being a diligent and gifted
(78) and Timothy, and cherished Poppa of Stephanie, James, student. In 1948, The Sunday Times published a mini league table
of the schools which had provided the most undergraduates to
Richard, John, William, Katy, Thomas, Daniel, George, Victoria, Oxford and Cambridge Universities that year. Ratcliffe was tenth
Ben, Henry and Lily. He was also the proud great-grandfather of in the table of ten, and John was a member of that august body.
Noah, Jack (Attley), Molly and Jack (Campbell).
While at Cambridge, John was awarded a Half-Blue as a member
John was born and raised in Northamptonshire, England, and he of the university’s Sprint Relay Team, and he was elected as a
eventually settled in Canada in 1976. He was a loving husband, member of the prestigious Cambridge Hawks’ Club. On leaving
father, uncle, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend to all university, and having completed his two years of National Service
those whom he touched with his life. We will all remember his in the Royal Signals, he embarked upon a long and distinguished
sense of humour and ‘Poppaisms’. career with Unilever. John was Works Manager for the Unilever
factory in Buenos Aires before moving to Proprietary Perfumes
Mark Attley (78) Ltd (later Quest) of Ashford, Kent, where he worked for many
Son years. He particularly enjoyed his many trips from Ashford to
Unilever establishments abroad, helping the local perfumeries
In October 2004, John wrote to the Ratcliffian Association, to set up in accordance with company procedure. He made quite
updating us about what he had done over the years. It is our a few trips to the Far East, India and the Philippines and, to their
great pleasure to publish this, below: great delight, on his trips to the United States and Turkey, his
wife and youngest son were allowed to accompany him.
“Firstly, I should fill you in a little, as you request, about the aid of people in distress in Wye, forgetting his own infirmity
myself. I was born in Northampton in December 1928. I went to John married Mary Balmforth, sister of Adrian Balmforth (46), and advanced age in the process. The Pope himself recognised
Westminster Cathedral Choir School from 1938 to 1940. At that in 1959, and they were blessed with six children and, by the time John’s contribution to the Catholic Church by awarding him the
time, the Choir School was disbanded, as we had been evacuated of his death, eleven grandchildren. On retiring from Unilever, Benemerenti Medal in 2011.
to Sussex, which was then almost on the front line. As a result, I he served for several years as the first lay Bursar at Ratcliffe,
started at Ratcliffe in September 1940. As a matter of interest, employed by Fr Lance Hurdidge (40), and he was instrumental in John was a kind, gentle and slightly (but endearingly) eccentric
one or two notable boys who did well in the theatrical world were Barbara, in June 1954. We have four children - Clare, Martha, turning the School’s finances around in the late 1980s. He later man who, during his lifetime, set the highest of moral standards
in the same class as me for most of the time that I was there: Mark and Timothy, and twelve grandchildren. We celebrated our returned to Kent, where he dedicated his time to the love and for himself and for his family. As a result, he has left behind a
Ian Bannen (46) and Patrick McGoohan (46). I left Ratcliffe in Golden Wedding Anniversary this year. We were fortunate to be care of his family and the service of the Catholic community in legacy and an example that his family and his siblings are proud
1946, and after spending time at the Northampton College of able to be in Rome on the day of our anniversary, and we went to Ashford and Wye. For several decades, John immersed himself and happy to emulate. May he rest in peace.
Technology and Leeds University, I worked in the leather industry Mass in St Peter’s on that day. It was a very moving occasion and in the life of the church and helped its members wherever and
and the chemical supply industry until 1955, when I had the something that I had always wanted to do.” whenever he could, happily taking them to and from services and David Jolliffe (64), with contributions from Pat Jolliffe (53)
opportunity to take a position in Canada, where I now live. I came delivering communion to them. Even into his 80s, John came to & John’s wife, Mary
back to England in 1965 and stayed until 1976, during which Mark Attley (78) has told the Association that a couple more
time, my son, Mark (78), was at Ratcliffe; he did considerably grandchildren and four great grandchildren have come along
better than me on the sports field, getting his Colours in rugby since 2004! MEMORIES OF A TEACHING GENERATION
and cricket! My company asked me to go back to Canada in 1976,
and we did. My family are all in Canada, but they visit England John’s wartime memories of Ratcliffe can be found on page 65 of
on a regular basis, as I have done in the past. I married my wife, the ‘Ratcliffe’s Past’ section.
In recent years, we have lost many teachers who made an impact on 2000 and who retired or left the College before that date, allowing
a large number of Old Ratcliffians during the last forty years or so for a little leeway.
of the last century. I mentioned to Alex Slack (née Gamble) (03),
the Editor, last year that it might be an idea to write a reminiscences I have in mind, from the clergy, Br Tony Primavesi (36), Fr Anthony
article, rich in nostalgia. The year passed all too quickly and not much Baxter (38), Fr Dennis Hare (46), Fr Keith Tomlinson (52), Fr Tony
progress was made, but then it struck me that it might be an idea Davies (48) and Fr Anthony (Les) Slack (59); and from the ranks of
To buy tickets for Ratcliffian to ask ORs who knew them to write in with their memories. So, for the lay staff, names come to mind such as Dennis Haines, George
Association events, visit our website: the magazine next year, we shall run a feature on those who strived, Friendship, Mike Batty, John Satterthwaite, Frank Mestecky and
over many years at Ratcliffe, to get information into our heads and
Peter Nelson. Obviously, this list is not definitive (for example, I
www.ratcliffianassociation.co.uk/shop to encourage our endeavours. Of course, there has to be a cut-off cannot think of any of the female teachers of that period who might
point somewhere, and to save any blushes, we shall have to keep
have died) and additions will be welcomed; we look forward to
the teachers mentioned to those who have now earned their eternal receiving your contributions via the Ratcliffian Association Office.
reward. So, my thinking is to include those who have died since, say,
Br Nigel Cave (72)

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