Page 60 - The Old Ratcliffian 2015 Magazine
P. 60
60 OBITUARIES
River Soar. I heard that he managed to persuade a team of police 2015. However, one small, but vital, part of Peter Clark lives on.
frogmen to recover his boat’s propeller from the riverbed when A few years before his passing, his wife, Sylvia, suffered life-
it fell off! threatening kidney problems. Peter donated one of his kidneys.
It was in August 2013 that he first experienced the internal pains Peter is survived by his wife, Sylvia, his two children, James Clark
which would eventually lead to a diagnosis of inoperable cancer and Helen Acton, and four grandchildren.
of the pancreas. This was difficult news to bear. Only two and a
half years separated us. We had happily shared mutual interests John Clark (52)
together and never crossed swords. Peter stoically endured his Brother
affliction for two years and finally left us on September 19th
ROBERT JAMES GALVIN major film, The Virgin
Soldiers, starring Lynn
OLD RATCLIFFIAN 1963 - 1968 Redgrave, amongst
MAY 22ND 1950 - JUNE 30TH 2015 others; he was proud
to have been picked for
Robert was born in Sierra Leone, West Africa, in 1950, and was a close up of a fresh-
the second son of the then Captain Peter William Galvin and his faced charging soldier
wife, Joan Mary Galvin. At the time of Robert’s birth, his father with bayonet fixed. No
was serving with the British Army and was posted in Sierra doubt his father’s son!
Leone, then part of the British Empire. With his father being a
career soldier, Robert and his older brother, John, led somewhat During his time studying
of a nomadic existence; home was always where their father was in Nottingham, Robert
serving, wherever this took them around the world. met his wife, Alison.
In 1976, he and Alison
Robert’s early schooling in Cyprus took place during the ‘Cyprus married, setting up a
Emergency’ in the 1950s, when the troubles were at their peak; as permanent home near
a result, Robert travelled each day to school by bus, accompanied Nottingham.
by armed guards. Robert remained unfazed by this experience,
just as he was by the soldiers and machine gun emplacements on After completing his degree, Robert initially worked for a trading
the roof of the school itself! company, importing from the Far East; having picked up on how
things worked, he decided to go it alone and set up his own
During this time, while his father was out patrolling the streets, fashion accessories business. That was his moment to shine; he
Robert understandably became particularly close to his mother. was an astute predictor of fashion trends and was always ahead
This is where his life-long interest in good food and cooking may of the market with his colours and stylish jewellery, which saw
have developed. In many ways, Robert led an idyllic existence, with him as a top supplier to even the biggest high-street retailers.
schooling in the morning and afternoons spent on the beach; no Robert had business acumen, he had flair, and he had a natural
doubt the origin of his love of the sun and sea developed as he ability - something that cannot be taught, something that you
played amongst the other Forces children. have or don’t have, and Robert had it in abundance.
As the years went by, Robert continued his love affair with His love of speed took him to the ski slopes and, very soon, he
all things maritime, taking sailing lessons whilst staying in became an accomplished downhill skier - fast and fearless, or so
Singapore with his parents during the long school holidays. In he thought! Robert’s love of all things fast continued, and his
due course, his passion for sailing saw him become the proud fleet of cars over the years all had speed in common.
owner of a motorsailer and a variety of powerful motor cruisers.
It was not all sand and sea, though. As the years passed, there So, how can we sum up this great guy? Robert was a brother to
was a growing need to secure continuity of his education, and John and a great friend to all that knew him, but that apart, he was
boarding school was an obvious option for the son of a military also a teacher, having briefly taught at Grace Dieu after leaving
man. It was at the early age of eight that Robert headed down school. He was creative, wrote articles for a sailing magazine,
the long driveway, at the top of which stood Grace Dieu Manor. and he tried his hand at short-story writing. He was also an
accomplished artist and painted colourful Mediterranean scenes.
In 1963 came a change of school; at the head of an even more He was a skier and a sailor, a businessman and an entrepreneur.
imposing, tree-lined entrance stood Ratcliffe College, where At one time, he even aspired to a career in politics and stood for
Robert remained until 1968, before heading for Nottingham local elections. He was a generous godfather to our son, also
University, where he obtained a degree in Economics. He will called Robert. He was a dog lover, especially golden retrievers,
always be remembered, both at school and at university, for having rehomed three, and supporting Guide Dogs for the Blind.
his good humour and friendly disposition, as well as for his He was all of these things and much more, but above all, he was a
involvement in a variety of sports, debating societies and clubs. wonderful husband to Alison for thirty-nine years.
At the age of eighteen, shortly after leaving school and before
starting his university studies, Robert had earned a part in a Frank Nieuwenhuys (68)
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