Univ Record 2017

he entered the electronic component industry
where he gained extensive knowledge of the
computer hardware industry which decided him to
make a career in data processing and information
technology. This career took him to work in the UK,
USA, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and Kuwait.
“Alan became a keen member of the William
of Durham Club after being invited to attend its
inaugural luncheon by Master John Albery in
1997. Alan was able to attend his final William of
Durham Club Lunch on 7 May 2016, which he very
much enjoyed, just a few weeks before his death.
Right up to the end of his life he always held happy
memories of Univ and always enjoyed participating in Old Members activities whenever
he was able to do so. He felt very much a part of the Univ family.”
KEITH GORDON ANDERSON FRASER (Edinburgh Academy) died on 23 March 2017
shortly before his 92nd birthday. Having served in the RAF and then in the Navy, as a
telegraphist, he came up to Univ. to read History. He worked in the insurance industry,
rising to become Assistant Superintendent of Commercial Union Insurance. He retired
in 1984, and spent his later years in East Sussex. His wife Brenda predeceased him. His
father, Sir Robert Fraser, came up to Univ in 1910.
THE REVD. RICHARD BINGHAM GORRIE (Clifton) died on 22 September 2016
aged 89. Richard Gorrie had been head boy and captain of rugby and cricket at Clifton
College before coming up to Univ to read History. He then read theology at Ridley Hall,
Cambridge. After working as a curate in Oxford and South London, he was inspired after
visiting a camp organised by the Scripture Union of Scotland to join its staff. He worked
for the SU for the rest of his life; in particular he ran the SU’s successful boys camps,
usually held at Kincraig, until his retirement in 1992. From 1960-74 Richard was also
part-time Anglican chaplain at Fettes, where he was a popular member of staff. Grant
Lawrence (1968), who attended Fettes at this time, remembers: “At Fettes RBG’s job was
to minister to the boys who were Episcopalians or Anglicans but his real influence went
much wider than that. Even in the 1960s a little of the legacy of suspicion and mistrust
between the Churches of England and Scotland, which had existed for centuries,
lingered on. By practice and preaching RBG taught boys of all the denominations to
look at the positive and important elements of faith which we had in common and which
united us rather than at those things which divided us. We were encouraged to attend
one another’s services and were taught about one another’s denominational beliefs. In
2016 the Churches of Scotland and England signed the Columba Declaration in which
they mutually acknowledged one another’s legitimacy. It had taken our churches fifty
years to catch up with what RBG had taught us all those years ago. I am not alone in
being eternally grateful for his teaching and example.” Richard is survived by his widow
Margaret. His half-brother John came up to Univ in 1953.
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1947
IAN EDWARD ABBEY (Regent Street Polytechnic)
died on 23 May 2017 aged 96. Ian served in the army
from the outbreak of World War II until August 1946,
rising to the rank of Major. He then came up to Univ to
read English. His daughter-in-law Ann Jones has kindly
supplied this obituary:
During the 1950s Ian served in Her Majesty’s
Colonial Service with a post in Malaya as a District
Officer, a Development Officer for commerce and
agriculture and also a Magistrate. Following Malayan
Independence after the Communist Emergency Ian
worked as Personnel Manager with a British firm in
Uganda.
Ian returned to England in 1961 where he began his
teaching career, teaching English. He taught in Bristol
and finished his career in Waltham Forest. He taught in an Independent School where he
was Deputy Headmaster and also in Grammar and Comprehensive schools. He also had
experience teaching at a Further Education College. He was a Moderator and Examiner
for an Examination Board as well as its Chief Examiner for Spoken English. He finally
retired from teaching in 1984.
Ian became very involved in the political world. In 1973 he began a career on the
Parish Council in Harlow and was elected on the Epping Forest District Council. He
became a County Councillor for Essex for the Conservative Party in 1985 and was
Chairman of the Education Committee for three years. He worked to help with housing,
finance, libraries, arts and museums. Ian finally retired from Politics after serving for
30 years. He was also the President of the North Weald Branch of the Royal British
Legion, and North Weald Bassett & District Rural Preservation Society and the Harlow
Constituency Conservative Association.
In 2001 Ian and his wife Joan moved to live in Watton in Norfolk where he enjoyed
his retirement. He still kept involved in Education by going into the local school and
hearing the children read. His one great passion was horse racing and he would study the
newspaper every morning and attended many horse race meetings.
Ian had one daughter who sadly lost her fight with cancer the week before Ian died.
His wife Joan had died in 2008. He left a younger brother and sister, four grandchildren
and four great grandchildren.
1948
FRANCIS (FRANK) JOSEPH BARNETT (St. Bede’s College, Christchurch, New
Zealand and Canterbury University College, University of New Zealand) died on 5
August 2016 aged 93. He read Modern Languages at Univ, taking a First in Finals.
Frank Barnett was born in New Zealand, and was educated first at Sacred Heart
School, Addington, Christchurch, from where he won a scholarship to St. Bede’s
College, Christchurch. Throughout his life he retained a deep sense of gratitude to the
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