Former sub-Warden Dr David Brown passed away at the age of 83 on 13th July 2024.
Brought up in Southport, as a young lad he had holiday jobs there as a bus conductor. His parents had died early in his life and even then he had no close living relatives.
David became a postdoctoral researcher in metallurgy and materials science, and when I came to Manchester in 1968 he was sun Warden of St Anselm Hall. He was central to Hall life, living in the sub warden flat in Dewar house and offering hospitality at almost any time to all and sundry.
He moved to be vice warden at Hughes Parry Hall in the University of London in 1972 and began teaching material science to dentists at Guy's Hospital. My wife and I visited him a number of times in Hughes Parry and it was obvious that he continued in his role of supporting students with kindness and generosity. Any time you visit the dentists you are likely to come across one of David's former students who will always remember his lectures and innovative overhead projector slides with a large orange pointer.
Around about 1984, he had a serious heart operation which involved the replacement of one of his heart valves with a mechanical artificial valve. This resulted in a quiet ticking noise which could be heard when all else was silent and occasionally led to complaints from fellow theatregoers. He treated the very serious operation, his recovery and his ongoing approach to life on a completely dispassionate basis and never allowed the thought to worry him. In that sense he was probably an ideal patient as can be seen from the fact that the heart valve lasted 40 years.
Through most of his active life he took great delight in Disney theme parks and for sometime had an apartment timeshare in Florida. My family certainly took advantage of his services as an experienced Disney guide. He carried on that tradition at the Olympic Games especially in 2012 in London.
I believe he gave up the student life in the early 1990s when he moved to Dolphin Square, Pimlico. The communal life there suited him well and his flat contained mementos right back to his days in St Anselm Hall. He was an eccentric collector of electric insulators and as I understand it was one of only two collections in the UK.
He was a great supporter of the Jubilee Sailing Trust and would make a trip every year until his health began to make it too difficult. Never afraid to travel, he visited us in New Zealand and took part in family camping holidays as well as narrowboat trips around the UK. He was a an extremely considerate guest and was a regular winner of our best guest award - he would often describe himself as 'the butler'.
He was an important and valued member of the Savage Club in London and took great delight in their performance evenings, contributing himself on a number of occasions. One of his specialities was the performance of Flanders and Swan songs and on one occasion he found himself being accompanied by Donald Swan.
He worshipped regularly at Westminster Abbey and for many years was a steward there, retiring when obliged to at age 70. Quite a change from Hall chapel!
He recovered well from a major heart episode in 2010, but in the last 12 months deteriorated rapidly in health and spent the last seven months in Ellesmere House nursing home where he was very well cared for and died peacefully.
David’s funeral on 3rd September 2024 at the West London Crematorium was well attended by an eclectic mix of old Slemsmen, former professional and academic colleagues, representatives of organisations that he had belonged to and in particular the Savage Club. The service was conducted by our own Fr. Simon Walsh (OA 1994-99) and reflected on David’s lifelong faith, humour, energy and appetite for life. David was a staunch supporter of the Association and re-instigated the London Dinner in 1981 which, except in the Covid years, has met continually ever since.
Dr David Brown b 27.12.1940- d 13.07.2024
Sad to read of his passing.
David was my best man when I married in 1993. Always great company, we played squash at Guys (UMDS) & enjoyed a pint afterwards. His heart valve operation was in 1987/88 and he recovered by walking the streets of London, and then beating me at squash again. He was Senior Lecturer and became Head of Department of Dental Materials Science.
At that time he went to St Pancras Church (near Hughes Parry Hall) which I think is where he sang Ill Wind accompanied by Donald Swan.
On moving to Hood House in Dolphin Square, I believe he went to St Margaret's Church, Westminster, next to The Abbey.
I cannot see a ceramic insulator without…