THE COMMON ROOM AND STAFF We have suffered the loss of two of our number in the past year. On 30th November Mr. Paddy Power died suddenly, and at once we felt the deep void left by that sunny and quite remarkable personality who had done so much for the School and for the City. To Mrs. Power and her family we offer our warm sympathy, and the assurance that their loss is shared by all at St. Peter's. The Address given in Chapel at the Memorial Service is published in this edition. On 5th March Mrs. May Allenby died after some time in hospital. Her work was mainly in keeping the Chapel clean and tidy, and it seemed that nothing was too much trouble for her. It was not long ago that we joined together to wish Maisie a happy retirement, and we were glad to see her about, enjoying a more relaxed life; but alas, it was not for long. We all offer our deep sympathy to Ronnie. Two masters are leaving us: Mr. Bainbridge after a short stay, and Mr. Duncan, after fourteen years is obeying the call to the Ministry. We wish happiness and success to them both.
PATRICK FRANCIS POWER, M.B.E. 1910-1977 A memorial Service was held in Chapel on 10th December, and the following address was given by Mr. D. G. Cummin.
On Christmas morning some years ago I met Paddy Power tying a bed on to the top of his car. He had found a family destitute because of neglect. They needed a bed and they could expect no dinner at all, let alone a Christmas dinner. From Paddy Power they got both. When Regimental Sergeant Major Instructor Power went to Buckingham Palace to receive his decoration many years ago, it was at the time when his son was about to be born. The King asked Mr. Power what family he had, and to the delight of his Sovereign Mr. Power replied. . . "Sir: I have three daughters, and I'm waiting for my relief to turn up at any moment". "If you can walk with kings, nor lose the common touch", said Kipling ... "you're a man". It is indeed a man we think of today with gratitude and with joy. For I don't think any of us can think of Paddy Power with gloom. Of course we feel most deeply the impact of his passing. None of us can enter into the private grief and shock that his family have suffered. We can only pray that they will come to know the reality of the words: "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted". And if our support can help them to find comfort, they know they have it in full measure. But to us Paddy Power was a man of dynamic energy: fearless, forthright, irrepressible, overwhelmingly generous, utterly unorthodox. Sometimes I have thought that he and Robin Hood might have compared notes on one or two things. Perhaps less obviously he was a man far more sensitive than some of us may have thought; more easily hurt than the vigorous and bluff 12
