Month: November 2025

His cousin Denis Tomlin writes:

“John left the School in the summer of 1939 to begin his degree course in Mathematics at Wadham College before he was enlisted in the Royal Engineers in 1940. He later saw service in North Africa and Italy until, after demobilisation, he returned to Oxford. Having completed his degree, he moved with his wife, Suzanne, and daughter, Elizabeth, to Henley-on-Thames; where he remained until ill-health forced him to move to a nursing-home near Hereford, close to his daughter and her husband.

Continue reading “E J (John) Robins (1933-39)”

His brother Ron writes:

“Ken worked for several years in Corby before moving to Newport in South Wales for a few years. He then moved to Basingstoke where he worked in Patents. He died from prostate cancer in 2007.”

His brother Mike and Paul’s widow Pam write:

““After his spell at COHS, Paul went on to Keble College, Oxford. Having obtained a degree in Physics in 1954, he took up a teaching post as Physics Lecturer at Bootham School in York. After some seven years he joined the staff of Clifton College of Education (a teacher training college) where he again lectured in Physics.

Having taken early retirement, he found his musical instrument-making hobby turn into a second career as a violin and viola maker. By his untimely death he had been commissioned to make over one hundred and twenty instruments. Many are being played in some of the UK’s most famous orchestras.”

His nephew Simon Weemes writes:

“John was proud to have studied at the School, which led him towards a BSc as well as a long career with British Cellophane in Bridgwater, Somerset.”

Pat became a professional entertainer and worked under the name Squire Ronnie Hayward. He achieved early success, appearing on Sunday Night at the London Palladium.

Our condolences go to his widow, Sue, his two children and three grandchildren.

Gordon Dawson (1951-56) writes:

“David Pardoe (a member of COSA) passed away early on Sunday morning (11th. September, 2011) in Chichester. Nearly six years ago he was diagnosed with cancer and given a maximum of six months to live.

David was determined not to give in and after a couple of years of chemotherapy, special diet etc. he was pronounced totally clear. Since that early diagnosis he has had a number of holidays (including one to Australia), seen the birth of three grandchildren and written two books (one of which has been published and the other is with the publisher).

Unfortunately, over the last few months the cancer had returned and this time David lost the battle.”

David Cooper (1947-54) writes:

“John Martin was one of the three Martins who were in the same year at School. John was a decent spin bowler and not bad with a bat. Leaving school he read geography at St. Catherine’s and began a career in advertising, copy writing for firms in London. He bought a house in Winchester but rather lost contact with his Cowley contemporaries. We do not know if he had any dependants. If he had not taken up a place at St. Catherine’s, I probably would not have gone over the wall 57 years ago to study geography at St Peter’s.”