Obituaries 2023

RATHBONE, W (1949, F)

Bill was born to William (Nono) and Peggie Rathbone on the 5th June 1936, in Chelsea. Bill’s father was called up early in the war, resulting in a nomadic family life occupying various RAF quarters. After the war, and the arrival of his sister Penelope, Bill’s parents purchased a farm in Hampshire.

Bill started his education at Eagle House Prep School and then to Radley, and enjoyed both academic and sporting success as well as making several lifelong friends including Jeremy Merrick and John Cleve. He passed the entrance exam to Oxford, winning a place at Christ Church.

On leaving school Bill was required to undertake national service. He undertook his officer training at Mons, at the end of which he was posted to 25th Field Regiment Royal Artillery on active service in Malaya fighting the communist Chinese.

He developed a love of rowing whilst at Radley. The highlight of his rowing career was going Head of the River with Christ Church, a feat last achieved by the College in 1927 in a boat crewed by his father. Rowing gave him two lifelong friendships: with Martin Bartlett at Radley and David Lloyd-Jacob at Oxford.

Bill met Sarah in Liverpool. Following marriage and their posting to Nigeria, they settled in Liverpool where Lucy arrived, and then William four years later, after a move to London. Lucy and William recall an incredibly happy childhood.

Bill’s career in shipping encompassed a five-year posting to Ghana and Nigeria, an MBA in Switzerland, coming top of his class, and over a million miles travelled whilst leading one of the businesses within Ocean. The second half of his career was spent as Chief Executive of RUKBA, where he won praise for commercialising its operation and expanding its core purpose. Latterly, he was asked to join the Board of Rathbones, retiring after nine years as the Chair of the Audit and Remuneration committees, and as their Senior NonExecutive Director.

Sarah contracted cancer in 2003, resulting in her untimely death in August 2006. Throughout her illness, Bill devoted his time to caring for her. In April 2010, Bill and Caro Lloyd-Jacob (David’s widow) announced their engagement. They loved the arts; opera, theatre, art galleries, churches and museums were all enjoyed.

Family history was a powerful motivating factor for Bill. The Rathbones had been a prominent family in Liverpool for 150 years and their Quaker roots drove them to philanthropy and public service.

Over the years he served as a trustee of the Victoria settlement, the Friends and Builders of Liverpool Cathedral, the Eleanor Rathbone Charitable Trust, the National Elfrida Rathbone Society, the Queens Nursing Institute, the Community and District Nursing Association, the New England Company, Oval House, Saint Peter’s Convent, the Skinner’s Alms Houses, the Southwalk Cathedral Millennium Trust, Friends of the British Museum, and the Development Board of Christ Church College.

Each of the charities he served had a common purpose: serving those less fortunate and with a foundation in either his faith or family.

William Rathbone, OBE, died on 31st December, 2022.

MALTWOOD, DR (1951, F)

Extracts from the Jersey Evening Post Derek Maltwood, who died on 6th April at the age of 84, was Deputy of St Mary from 1987 to 2002 and, despite his busy professional life, he gave freely of his time to serve the parish and Jersey over many years. Those who worked with him in government always found him to be well prepared and meticulous and he brought a no-nonsense approach to politics. ‘I say what I feel, I am nobody’s puppet and when I speak in the States I make it short and to the point,’ he said in 1990.

Derek Ryder Maltwood was born on 2nd May 1938, the younger child of Ryder and Nancy Kathleen Maltwood. He worked as a stockbroker for most of his life, being senior partner of Trevor Matthews and Carey from 1950 to 1972 and a director of several investment trusts.

Mr Maltwood attended Mostyn House preparatory school in Parkgate, Cheshire, before moving in 1951 to Radley College, where he became a corporal in the Combined Cadet Force. At the end of his last year at the school he took part in a Radleian sailing trip from Portugal to Falmouth on Theodora, a gaff-rigged Bristol Channel pilot cutter built in 1911.

Having completed his National Service, Mr Maltwood went to Cambridge University in November 1958, having been admitted to Pembroke College to study for a degree in Economics. By his own admission he perhaps enjoyed the rowing too much and he failed his Part 1 examinations, leaving the university after only three terms. He decided to train as an accountant and spent five years as an articled clerk in Bristol before going to London to work as a stockbroker.

Mr Maltwood was an active member of the Jersey Branch of the Institute of Directors, which had first been established by his father. He was appointed as chairman in 1984, a position he held for three years, and it was during his tenure that the IoD work shadow scheme was first introduced.

In 1988 Mr Maltwood was appointed by the States as a director of the Jersey Electricity Company and later went on to become chairman of the company, a position he held for ten years before finally retiring from the board in March 2008 after 20 years’ service.

As well as his work in the States, Mr Maltwood was always extremely active in parish life in St Mary. For many years he helped to audit the parish accounts and was Procureur du Bien Public for St Mary and he held this position for some 13 years from 2007. He took part in many community activities, occasionally acting as compère for events such as the Liberation celebrations. He supported the Constable in getting the parish’s millennium project off the ground, and was keen to ensure the community centre that was built would be more than just a sports centre.

In addition to his work in the States and the parish, Mr Maltwood gave freely of his time to many local organisations. After the States bought the Opera House in 1995 he chaired the board set up to manage the theatre under the oversight of the Jersey Arts Trust. Following a public fundraising campaign the theatre was reopened in July 2000 and Mr Maltwood was proud that the restoration work had been completed ‘on time and on budget’.

He was president of the Jersey Symphony Orchestra from 1992 to 1997 even though, he commented, the only instrument he could play was a gramophone. In 1988 he became one of the first Gardiens of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and he served as a trustee between 1998 and 2009.

From 1999 to 2002 Mr Maltwood was a trustee of the Jersey Heritage Trust and a member of the Records Advisory Panel from 2003 until 2015. In 2010 he chaired an advisory panel established by the Minister for Treasury and Resources to consider the design of the new Jersey banknotes.

Outside of his work Mr Maltwood was a keen golfer and he also enjoyed playing snooker. He and his wife were great supporters of the arts and in 1994 commissioned the sculpture Le Traveilleux d’Cauchie (the Docker), which stands on the pavement outside the Jersey Museum. They were avid ballet and opera fans and stalwarts of the annual Domaine des Vaux opera festival, attending every performance and accommodating some of the company at their home. The love of opera they discovered at the festival set them on a path to travel widely to attend productions.

Mr Maltwood’s wife Maggie died in February 2020 and he is survived by his sons Bruce and Damien (OR), his stepchildren Adriana and Caspar, and his sister Shirley.

KYRKE, RTV (1952, B)

Richard left Radley and went on to Glasgow University, where he studied Veterinary Medicine, to begin with. That did not float his boat, so he won a scholarship and joined the RAF. He had his flying licence before he had his driving licence.

After his career in the RAF, he joined British European Airways and British Airways, and then Maersk Air before he retired. He loved his flying and ‘Captain Kyrke’ used to say that he loved every day so much that it was not work at all.

Richard was married and had two daughters: Jo & Caroline. He was divorced and then married Sue, and had a son, James. He lived in Wellesbourne, very happily, for over 40 years.

Richard and Sue came to Radley a few times to visit. Richard loved the wonderful things that have been done at Radley and was very interested in the rebuilding of the organ in Chapel. Although not a religious man, Chapel was a favourite part of the College.

He was a very modest man, a gentleman, a credit to Radley, and to family and friends.

Richard Thurston Venables Kyrke died on 23rd July 2023.

WARRINGTON, A (1955, H)

Alastair was born in Norfolk on 11th January 1942 but, after being orphaned at the age of two, he was lucky enough to be adopted by the Holcroft family in Shropshire. He came to Radley in 1955 following in the footsteps of his adoptive older brother, Michael Holcroft (1948, H), his adoptive father, Sir Reginald Holcroft (1913, H), and his adoptive grandfather, Sir George Holcroft (1873), as well as other members of the Holcroft family.

He participated enthusiastically in the many activities on offer at Radley. He was actively involved in the sailing team, and he was particularly proud of the home victory over Eton where local knowledge was put to good use in a resounding victory. He also greatly enjoyed his time in the CCF, and developed a keen interest in rowing at the school. His extra-curricular activities also expanded beyond the school’s formal menu of pastimes: he kept a motorbike in the local woods for additional field trips.

After Radley, he studied at Harper Adams agricultural college. After a stint on a pig farm in Denmark during the Cuban missile crisis, he then went to Australia for two years to work as a jackeroo on an outback sheep station near Quilpie in Queensland, work on fruit farms and visit relatives. One of the highlights of his time in Australia was a trip across the Nullarbor Plain from Adelaide to Perth and back to Melbourne in a Mini Cooper, together with another OR, John Warren-Swettenham (1954, B), and two others. This involved around 1,500 miles each way mostly on unsurfaced roads through the desert, to be greeted by a military parade of honour in Perth.

After his travels, he bought a combined pig and arable farm in Worcestershire, which he successfully farmed for over 40