Page 64 - The Old Ratcliffian 2013
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The Old Ratclifan 2013 | Introductionhe Old Ratclifan 2013 | Obituaries
was an intellectual powerhouse who Bantry Bay Golf Course and marched They both requested Gracie Fields and
was more compassionate than people into the clubhouse looking fresher we all listened to ‘Wish Me Luck As
gave him credit for. Mick Waters had than the rest of us. We also had You Wave Me Goodbye’, which they
a genius for nurturing the character guests in the house from Dublin with each said they wanted to have played
of stroppy adolescents who will never twin fifteen year old boys, in whose at their funerals.
forget his friendship and humour. But rugby careers Denis became closely When we took them to Cork Airport,
Denis was still my favourite. interested. For their part, they could we wondered where the week had
scarcely believe how much he knew
Denis left Ratcliffe in order to progress gone and both very much wished that
his career and it is typical of his drive about rugby. Their dad, a very cheeky they were not going. We all promised
and ambition that he became one of Dubliner called Frank, christened him that we would see each other again
the Open University’s early graduates ‘Denis the Menace’ and, although I soon. That was not to be. Denis had
and achieved success and distinction doubt that this was the first time he a heart attack that December which
in teaching elsewhere. With these had received this title, he adopted his killed him in his home. So closes the
happy memories, the first half closes. new moniker with good grace. We all second half.
wanted to hear what he had to say
Many years later, Denis and his old about almost any topic. We had to A collection of friends gathered at
friend (and fellow teacher at Ratcliffe) drag him away from his new friends Loughborough Crematorium on
John Orton visited the school one after any visit to our local pub, where December 19th 2012. A group of
weekend at an Old Boys’ Reunion. he played up his Welsh (i.e. non- Old Ratcliffians were fighting for
I heard of this after the event and, English) roots to great effect. the honour of carrying Denis’ coffin
regretting having missed him, traced Margaret and my wife Bettina into the service, those being myself,
him to his home in Loughborough became close friends and the house Nobby Clarke (67), Bernard Murphy
through the kind offices of Bishop was enriched with the sound of (67), Andrew Gamble (68), Tony
John Arnold (71) and Jackie Bennett. Gallagher (70) and Paul Morris (74),
our laughter. I found out more of
his background, which master- and so this was agreed by the family.
pupil relationships usually and Denis’ daughter, Denise, welcomed
understandably prevent. His father us all and we heard moving tributes
was a miner and, yes, he did from his old friends, John Orton and
sometimes scrub his back as he sat Mike Tanner (another teacher friend
in a tin bath in the living room of a from Ratcliffe days with whom he
small terraced house in South Wales. shared a passion for horseracing
He had done National Service in on an international level, including
the Royal Navy and boasted that he Ireland, Paris and Kentucky). I met
once served Lord Louis Mountbatten his son Paul who, along with Margaret
with a gin and tonic aboard one of and Denise, kindly allowed us to
John Orton & Denis Haines Her Majesty’s ships. He was just as carry Denis’ coffin. I have the Order
of Service in front of me; it is full of
interested to hear what had happened
John Whelan (71) and I arranged to to me in the intervening years and pictures of a smiling, handsome Denis
take Denis and John Orton to watch could not really take in that the lad at various stages of his life, which
Leicester Tigers play and to polish off he nicknamed ‘Jerk’ could have included the celebration of his Golden
a glass of wine or two over a meal at become one of Her Majesty’s Counsel! Wedding Anniversary.
Timo Restaurant. It was wonderful to I wondered then and now what this As Denis made his way along the
hear that lifting Welsh accent again intelligent man could have achieved, conveyor belt in the crematorium,
and he and John Orton were excellent had he enjoyed the opportunities that which is usually a rather gruesome
company. All great friendships are I did. moment, Gracie Fields broke out into
marked by the ability to rekindle her song for him as he had asked
acquaintance after long absences and Margaret and Denis’ story is simple her to. We all wished him luck as we
I felt as if I had known him for all of and beautiful. As a seventeen year waved him goodbye and I wished that
the intervening forty years. Perhaps old local girl, Margaret was walking many more years could have passed
I had, because he played such an on a footpath by the playing fields at until I heard that song again.
important part in moulding the Loughborough College, where Denis
character that I am. was playing football with fellow Denis, I suspect you have no need
students. He took time to sneak away of luck, my old friend: if there is any
On my return home that night, my to talk to the pretty girl who was to justice in the world beyond this one,
wife asked how it had gone, and I become his wife for almost sixty years. your kindness, good humour, wit and
announced that Denis and Margaret In our house on the Sheep’s Head wisdom will not go unrewarded. You
were coming to visit us in Ireland that peninsula, Margaret and Denis were didn’t join a profession that would
August, which they did. We had a both fascinated by an internet gadget bring you great financial reward, but
wonderful time, blessed for the most which enabled them to play any song what you have given to those in your
part with fine weather. We watched they wanted to on the sound system. charge cannot be repaid. As you said
the Olympics, he charmed the socks He loved an Austrian tenor called when we last parted company, ‘Look
off all my relatives and he was (at his Richard Tauber who sang ‘Open Road, after yourself, Butt’.
own insistence) a tireless labourer in Open Sky’ from The Gypsy Baron. Jerry Cahill (70)
the garden. He walked the beautiful
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64
The Old Ratclifan 2013 | Introductionhe Old Ratclifan 2013 | Obituaries
was an intellectual powerhouse who Bantry Bay Golf Course and marched They both requested Gracie Fields and
was more compassionate than people into the clubhouse looking fresher we all listened to ‘Wish Me Luck As
gave him credit for. Mick Waters had than the rest of us. We also had You Wave Me Goodbye’, which they
a genius for nurturing the character guests in the house from Dublin with each said they wanted to have played
of stroppy adolescents who will never twin fifteen year old boys, in whose at their funerals.
forget his friendship and humour. But rugby careers Denis became closely When we took them to Cork Airport,
Denis was still my favourite. interested. For their part, they could we wondered where the week had
scarcely believe how much he knew
Denis left Ratcliffe in order to progress gone and both very much wished that
his career and it is typical of his drive about rugby. Their dad, a very cheeky they were not going. We all promised
and ambition that he became one of Dubliner called Frank, christened him that we would see each other again
the Open University’s early graduates ‘Denis the Menace’ and, although I soon. That was not to be. Denis had
and achieved success and distinction doubt that this was the first time he a heart attack that December which
in teaching elsewhere. With these had received this title, he adopted his killed him in his home. So closes the
happy memories, the first half closes. new moniker with good grace. We all second half.
wanted to hear what he had to say
Many years later, Denis and his old about almost any topic. We had to A collection of friends gathered at
friend (and fellow teacher at Ratcliffe) drag him away from his new friends Loughborough Crematorium on
John Orton visited the school one after any visit to our local pub, where December 19th 2012. A group of
weekend at an Old Boys’ Reunion. he played up his Welsh (i.e. non- Old Ratcliffians were fighting for
I heard of this after the event and, English) roots to great effect. the honour of carrying Denis’ coffin
regretting having missed him, traced Margaret and my wife Bettina into the service, those being myself,
him to his home in Loughborough became close friends and the house Nobby Clarke (67), Bernard Murphy
through the kind offices of Bishop was enriched with the sound of (67), Andrew Gamble (68), Tony
John Arnold (71) and Jackie Bennett. Gallagher (70) and Paul Morris (74),
our laughter. I found out more of
his background, which master- and so this was agreed by the family.
pupil relationships usually and Denis’ daughter, Denise, welcomed
understandably prevent. His father us all and we heard moving tributes
was a miner and, yes, he did from his old friends, John Orton and
sometimes scrub his back as he sat Mike Tanner (another teacher friend
in a tin bath in the living room of a from Ratcliffe days with whom he
small terraced house in South Wales. shared a passion for horseracing
He had done National Service in on an international level, including
the Royal Navy and boasted that he Ireland, Paris and Kentucky). I met
once served Lord Louis Mountbatten his son Paul who, along with Margaret
with a gin and tonic aboard one of and Denise, kindly allowed us to
John Orton & Denis Haines Her Majesty’s ships. He was just as carry Denis’ coffin. I have the Order
of Service in front of me; it is full of
interested to hear what had happened
John Whelan (71) and I arranged to to me in the intervening years and pictures of a smiling, handsome Denis
take Denis and John Orton to watch could not really take in that the lad at various stages of his life, which
Leicester Tigers play and to polish off he nicknamed ‘Jerk’ could have included the celebration of his Golden
a glass of wine or two over a meal at become one of Her Majesty’s Counsel! Wedding Anniversary.
Timo Restaurant. It was wonderful to I wondered then and now what this As Denis made his way along the
hear that lifting Welsh accent again intelligent man could have achieved, conveyor belt in the crematorium,
and he and John Orton were excellent had he enjoyed the opportunities that which is usually a rather gruesome
company. All great friendships are I did. moment, Gracie Fields broke out into
marked by the ability to rekindle her song for him as he had asked
acquaintance after long absences and Margaret and Denis’ story is simple her to. We all wished him luck as we
I felt as if I had known him for all of and beautiful. As a seventeen year waved him goodbye and I wished that
the intervening forty years. Perhaps old local girl, Margaret was walking many more years could have passed
I had, because he played such an on a footpath by the playing fields at until I heard that song again.
important part in moulding the Loughborough College, where Denis
character that I am. was playing football with fellow Denis, I suspect you have no need
students. He took time to sneak away of luck, my old friend: if there is any
On my return home that night, my to talk to the pretty girl who was to justice in the world beyond this one,
wife asked how it had gone, and I become his wife for almost sixty years. your kindness, good humour, wit and
announced that Denis and Margaret In our house on the Sheep’s Head wisdom will not go unrewarded. You
were coming to visit us in Ireland that peninsula, Margaret and Denis were didn’t join a profession that would
August, which they did. We had a both fascinated by an internet gadget bring you great financial reward, but
wonderful time, blessed for the most which enabled them to play any song what you have given to those in your
part with fine weather. We watched they wanted to on the sound system. charge cannot be repaid. As you said
the Olympics, he charmed the socks He loved an Austrian tenor called when we last parted company, ‘Look
off all my relatives and he was (at his Richard Tauber who sang ‘Open Road, after yourself, Butt’.
own insistence) a tireless labourer in Open Sky’ from The Gypsy Baron. Jerry Cahill (70)
the garden. He walked the beautiful
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