Page 45 - The Old Ratcliffian 2011

The Old Ratcliffan 2011 | Obituaries Damian Greiff Old Ratcliffian 1975-78 24th January 1962-13th August 2011 fourteenth birthday, after a long Business Development with a law firm illness. At this point, Damian moved specialising in insurance, and Director to Ratcliffe to complete his education. of a Client-Relationship Programme With a few interruptions for impromptu with a US law firm that unfortunately ‘gap months or years’, this continued fell with the Lehman Brothers debacle. until he gained his London University He enjoyed writing for professional degree in History and English. journals and was an inveterate sender Cunningly, he chose to specialise in of letters to the Telegraph – many of early medieval history because, he which he was proud to see published. said, there were fewer documents and Finally, he was appointed early in 2011 therefore less to study! to the position of Senior Proposals Manager, Asia, with Clifford Chance; Meanwhile, having heard his father Damian was born to John Bernard talk so often about the Army, Damian something he called his dream job. Greiff and Margaret on 24th January had applied and been accepted for a But there was always time for other 1962 in Kingston, Surrey. His parents place at Sandhurst, thinking to make interests. First came sport, as his had met at London University, where that his career. Though he entered the passionate involvement with the John had resumed his studies after Academy, after a few months he found Luddesdowne Cricket Club and being de-mobbed from the Second it was not the place for him and took Sevenoaks Rugby and his support for World War with the rank of Major. the option to leave. the Leicester Tigers attest. A more The family settled in Kew and Damian’s A deciding factor may well have been sedentary – and all-weather – hobby schooling began at Ealing Abbey, the discovery that he would not be of some thirty years’ duration was which his father had attended in the allowed to marry for four years, for genealogy, pursuing the family’s history 1930s. The ease with which he made during a university term that had been in Europe (hence a difficult to spell and friends was evident at an early age and spent in Michigan, USA, he had met pronounce German surname), India, compensated for being an only child. Mari Lynn. This was an encounter that Burma and the US. Coached by his father, rugby and blossomed into their marriage in 1986 On starting work in Hong Kong, cricket became a big part of his and the birth of Nicholas in 1987 and business cards in English and Chinese life from this period (somewhat James in 1993. were printed for him. He was delighted to the detriment of homework It was at this point that he turned to to find that the two Chinese characters and handwriting!) and he was an marketing as a promising outlet for his for Damian read, when translated: enthusiastic member of one of the capabilities and, after post-graduate ‘open-minded’ and ‘gentle’. “Better London Welsh Junior Rugby teams training, steadily worked his way up in than ‘gray old man’” he quipped. that was coached by JPR Williams. A the profession to be Head of Marketing Damian died suddenly in Hong Kong, proud moment was seeing his name in with an English language training aged 49, on 13th August 2011. He Wisden in 1980, playing for Middlesex organisation, Director of Marketing and leaves two sons, Nicholas and James, County Juniors. Communications with an international and his mother Margaret. Sadly his father died just before his examinations board, Head of May he rest in peace. Fr Tony (Anthony Leo) Davies IC Old Ratcliffian 1941-1949 Fr Tony Davies died suddenly during Form Master, he led groups of the Boat Club, relishing the journeys by the night of 13th March 2011 and boys in spiritual direction and in the bike down to the river and encouraging his funeral took place at Holy Name charismatic movement, so much so the crews on the water. During the Church, North Dunedin, New Zealand that, in his time, Ratcliffe College winters here in Dunedin he still on 17th March. He was buried at became a centre for prayer groups wrapped himself in his magenta Anderson’s Bay Cemetery alongside the in the Midlands and the North, and Downing Boat Club scarf when he went priests of the Dunedin diocese. he was frequently called upon for out walking. guidance. Marcus Shaw (79) in Hong After graduating in Maths from Kong was one of Fr Tony’s pupils who In his years at Ratcliffe, Tony became Cambridge, as a brother and then as a remembers him well as his Maths a very competent bassoonist in the priest, Tony taught Maths at Ratcliffe teacher, friend and counsellor and school orchestra and also in the in the ‘60s and ‘70s. He published a corresponded with him over the years. Leicester Philharmonic, where he made number of articles over the years in some long-lasting friends. maths magazines and in periodicals Tony had been a rower for Downing He was the first Rosminian priest for teachers. College whilst at Cambridge and became a leading light for the Ratcliffe to undertake a renewal course at In the years that he was the Sixth Hawkstone Hall in the late ‘70s and Register online at www.ratcliffanassociation.co.uk 45