The Old Pocklingtonian Old Pocklingtonian 2017-18 | Page 27

OBITUARIES
with various cancers over a two-year period until
his death in December 2017. Overall, Matt had five
cancers: bowel, leukaemia, skin, liver and then bowel
again. Throughout it all, he remained optimistic and
always looked for the positives no matter how bad
things were.
Matt was highly regarded by all who knew him and
loved by many. His most successful accomplishment
in life was without doubt the effect he had on
people; he was a genuine, fun, sincere and caring
individual who enjoyed life to the full.
Matthew John Hawker (79-81), or Matt as he was
known, was born in Worcestershire on 3 January
1965, the eldest son of John and Lynda, and later a
brother to 10 siblings from different marriages.
Matt’s brother Chris, who lived with him in
Tewkesbury and looked after him when he became
ill, met several of Matt’s friends from Wellow and
Pocklington and would welcome any contact from
those who knew Matt. His e-mail is: c.g.hawker@
btinternet.com (with permission).
(Christopher Hawker)
He attended Wellow House boarding school in
Nottinghamshire from the age of 10 to 13 before
moving to Pocklington School where he stayed until
the end of the fifth form.
Graham was a ‘day bug’ in Wilberforce house where
I was a boarder. Although we were not in the same
classes at school, our shared love of rugby and
cricket was the start of a long-lasting friendship.
Although not particularly gifted academically, Matt
excelled at sport. He was a natural sportsman: 5 feet
10 inches tall, very powerfully built and surprisingly
agile. He was particularly good at and enjoyed rugby.
Matt left school at 16 and did various jobs including
selling sheepskins and sheepskin slippers on the
markets of Wales and Cornwall for several years.
Later, he travelled, spending 12 months or so in the
USA in California and Atlanta, which he thoroughly
enjoyed.
Around 1996, he went to work with a close friend
at the Cheltenham Pot and Plant Centre becoming
a partner in the business until it was sold in 2006.
In his spare time, he took up fishing and loved carp
fishing in particular. Through this, he made many
friends and had numerous escapades. His interest in
fishing took him to France on a couple of occasions
to be a bailiff for some fishing lakes. He had a
fantastic time and even considered moving there at
one stage.
Throughout his life, Matt embarked on a spiritual
journey to seek enlightenment. He studied Buddism,
the Catholic Church, Hinduism and other world
religions and through this, he achieved a very high
level of personal development by the time he died.
In 2010, Matt started losing a lot of weight and by
early 2012 he was diagnosed with bowel cancer. He
underwent surgery to remove the tumour followed
by chemotherapy over several months. His attitude
was fantastic and he was convinced he could beat
the cancer.
In 2013, he got the all clear and this remained so until
July 2015 when he was diagnosed with leukaemia.
Although he went into remission after treatment, this
marked the start of an ongoing and relentless battle
Robert Graham Inchboard (65-69), known
as Graham to all who knew him, was born on 22
March 1951, the eldest of four children. He came to
Pocklington School in the Lent term of 1965 from
the Minster School in York.
Richard William Horsley (48-52) died after a
short illness on 18 January 2018 at the age of 80.
Born and bred in Fimber, a man of farming stock,
he was educated at Fimber School and then onto
Pocklington where he was first introduced to rugby.
After leaving school, he did his stint of national
service in the Military Police serving in post-war
Berlin before coming home to the family farm with
his brother Peter (49-54).
Richard continued his love of rugby at Driffield
RUFC where he played first team rugby for 16
years at hooker with a reputation for his strength,
toughness and robust approach to ‘loyal justice’.
Graham was a far better cricketer than me but we
would play together in the age group teams before
he went on to play 1st X1 cricket whilst I only
aspired to the 2nd X1. He played for the 1st X1 for
3 years (1967 to 1969 inclusive) and was awarded
his cricket colours. In the cricket report for 1969
it says that “Inchboard played a magnificent innings
of 41 in 27 minutes at Bradford”. As a bowler, he
is described as “a formidable attack bowler for the
school” and as a fielder it is reported that he “took
many fine catches”. Finally, it says that “Roger Peet
and Graham Inchboard deserve praise for their
contribution to school cricket. With captain, Chris
Woodhead, they have maintained a tradition of
enthusiasm and loyalty which has been the basis of
this team’s success and an excellent example to the
younger members of the side.”
Graham was also an accomplished rugby player. He
played in the 1st XV for the 1968/69 year and was
awarded his rugby colours. He played on the left
wing and then at full back. The school magazine says
he ran with great determination and his goal kicking
was of a very high standard, bringing him a total of
92 points for the season.
Richard married Anne Frost having two children,
Sharon and Nicholas. He also had four grandchildren
who all followed in his educational footsteps:
Georgina (96-06) and William Chapman (98-04)
who both attended Pocklington School, and Tanner
and Bodie Horsley who are currently making their
way through the school, Tanner just entering his first
year at the senior school and Bodie in Pocklington
Prep. As well as his involvement in cricket and rugby at
school, Graham was a prefect in the academic year
1968-69 and was Lance Corporal in the Combined
Cadet Force, promoted to Corporal in the Lent
term and to Sergeant in the Summer term.
He is much missed by his family and friends. When he wasn’t working, Graham continued to play
cricket for Pocklington Pixies, Yorkshire Gentlemen,
York and Alne. He was also treasurer at Alne for
20 years and regularly attended Pixies dinners when
(Georgina Booth, née Chapman, 96-06)
We both left school in July 1969, Graham to work
on the family farm and me to be an articled clerk at
an accountancy practice in York.
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