O B I TU A RI ES
David Russell: back row, centre, 1955 1st XV
David Russell 1938-2018
On 3 December 2018, David Russell, who had struggled for quite
a few years with dementia, passed away in Wanganui, North Island,
New Zealand. David taught at Sevenoaks from 1964 to 1970. He
was i/c Sport especially rugby in the late 1960s, having previously
attended Sevenoaks School as a student (1951-56).
Having subsequently attended Loughborough University, he
brought to Sevenoaks a new awareness of what sport can do for
many; there are still quite a number of people who remember
the patience, attentiveness and awareness he was able to use to
develop teams who not only played with panache but always as a
team. Much of the success Sevenoaks School had afterwards was
down to David.
David was a student at Sevenoaks in the 1950s. I first met him at
Eltham College when we sat next to one another at an after-match
tea. Almost immediately we took a liking to each other, so much so
that the coach driver had to walk into the dining room twice before
we managed to take David out to the coach. As his daughter Nicola
recalls, he was larger than life!
This would have been 1967. I was teaching in the Midlands then,
but knowing that a position had become available at Sevenoaks
School I decided to apply for the job. I arrived at Sevenoaks and was
advised to go to the staff common room. On the way up the stairs
a figure appeared at the top: David! We shook hands and once he
had learned I was there hoping to be awarded with a job, he dashed
back up the stairs to meet another member of staff with the words,
‘Casey, we have to get this guy!’
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My next meeting was at a party at Paul Downton’s house.
The Sevenoaks School 1st XV had just returned from a tour to
British Columbia and while I was full of the tour, David just listened
until, at 3am in the morning he asked, ‘Where might you go next?’
I replied that I had not given it a thought at this point in time until
he said, ‘Why don’t you come to Australia? The school I teach
at – Scotch College, Melbourne – would be delighted to host you.’
We flew to Australia, the first UK team other than one England XV
to play in Australia, and David’s words were real. The reception we
received was huge and wonderful. Later David decided to work in
New Zealand, where Sevenoaks toured three times in the next 15
years. Each time we included David in our itinerary and each time
we were received with a massive welcome and a great experience.
A lot of that was down to David. His knowledge of Australia and
New Zealand was widespread, but more than that his patience
and personal understanding was wonderful. I saw him last when
in New Zealand some five years ago. I telephoned David when in
Christchurch to receive only a mumble on the phone, but by the
time I arrived at Wanganui Collegiate expecting something quite
dismal, David was up and awake – a delight to be with.
What a wonderful person he was – he had patience, personal
understanding and wonderful humour. His family can be very, very
proud of their father. The world was a much better place with him
a part of it.
Mike Williams
Former teacher in charge of Rugby
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