N o .126
T he T rusty S ervant
Obituary
We are proud that we write obituaries
for all Old Wykehamists and it would be
invaluable to us if OWs were to send us
some notes about their life, covering a little
bit more than appears in the Winchester
College Register. These should be
addressed to: The Obituarist, Winchester
College Society, 73 Kingsgate Street,
Winchester SO23 9PE.
Michael Clement Lapage (
Co Ro, 48-50): died 20.7.2018 aged
94. Educated Monkton Combe, VIII
1940-42. He served in the RNVR 1942-
45, first with 807 Naval Air Squadron,
flying the Seafire, a naval version of the
Spitfire. He carried out reconnaissance
and air-to-ground missions in support
of the Allied landings in Southern
France. He later flew with 800 Naval
Air Squadron in the Far East. Selwyn
College, Cambridge, 3 Theology 1948.
He rowed at seven for Cambridge
University VIII which won the 1948
Boat Race. He won a silver medal in
the London Olympic Games 1948 and
a bronze in the Empire Games in New
Zealand 1950. He came to Winchester
in 1948 and coached the First VIII to
win the Schools’ Head of the River
Race and the Princess Elizabeth Cup
in 1949. He was ordained Deacon
1961 and Priest 1962 in the Diocese of
Mount Kenya. National Commissioner
Kenya Boy Scouts. He returned to
England in 1972 and joined Bedford
School as Assistant Chaplain and
Rowing Coach. He was appointed Vicar
of Walford and Bishopswood in 1978.
He retired to Tavistock in 1988. In
2012 he carried the Olympic Torch in
the relay for the London Games and
in the same year he joined the crew of
18 Olympic Oarsmen to row the barge
Gloriana. There is currently a boat in
Boat Club called the Spirit of 49 and
54 which he helped launch. Married
1953 Margaret Butcher (died 1995).
He is survived by two daughters and a
son. Obituaries in The Times and Daily
Telegraph. His thanksgiving service was held in
Christchurch Priory. He is survived by
Beverly, his wife of 59 years and their
son and two daughters. See Tommy
Cookson’s appreciation above.
Anthony (Tony) Barrons Ruth
(Co Ro, 51-90): died 1.5.2018 aged
90. He had a brother ten years his
senior who flew Lancasters during
the war and aged fourteen he was
sneaked onto six training flights in a
Lancaster. Two years later his brother
was lost on air patrol over the Bay
of Biscay. Educated, King’s College,
Wimbledon. Scholarship, St John’s
College, Cambridge, I Natural Science
Pt 1 (Physics, Chemistry, Mineralogy,
Maths) and 2(1) Pt 2 (Physics). Wrights
Prize (Physics) 1947-48. Whilst at
Cambridge he rowed in the University
second boat. National Service with 2
RHA 1949-51. MA 1954. He arrived at
Winchester in 1951. He was a rowing
coach for 30 years, cycling madly on
the towpath of the river Itchen. He was
proud of the fact that he only cycled
into the river on three occasions. On
one occasion as he bobbed to the
surface in front of a slightly stunned
crew - he shouted ‘Go on – Laugh! I
know you want to!’ Major CCF, Cadet
Forces Medal 1964. Teaching exchange,
St Mark’s School, Southborough, Mass,
USA 1966-67. Housemaster of Hopper’s
1968-83. Very many Hopperites spoke
of his patience, his understanding and
his ability to say a few wise words at the
right moment, giving the confidence to
choose their career path. On retirement
he moved to Bournemouth. He was
sidesman and guide for Christchurch
Priory from 1990. Chairman, The
Pilgrims and Tourist Committee
1997-02. President, Bournemouth
Natural Science Society 2003-04. William Hardman Earle (G, 37-42):
died 16.6.2018 aged 94. Son of JGE
(G, 1882-87), brother of JAE (G, 34-
38) and RGE (G, 39-43) and father of
RLE (G, 74-78) and GHE (G, 76-81).
Co Prae. Trinity College, Cambridge,
Mechanical Sciences 1944. MA 1954.
Had his own VIII on the river. National
Service with RE, with whom he served
in Hong Kong and Malaya 1945-47.
He was a chartered engineer with J&E
Hall Ltd 1948-56. He constructed
the first low-temperature wind tunnel
for humans in the Western World.
Independent member of Wiltshire
County Council 1964-81. Deputy
Traffic Commissioner. Member of South
Western Regional Hospital Board 1964-
74. Wessex Regional Health Authority
1973-82. Vice Chairman NHS General
Whitely Council and Chairman NHS
London Weighting Consortium. Patron
of the living at St Dunstan’s, Liverpool.
He was a passionate gardener, growing
plums, apples, pears, strawberries,
raspberries, peaches, figs, blackcurrants,
cherries, rhubarb, asparagus, artichokes,
sweet-corn and walnuts. Married 1958
Vera Black (died 1992). He is survived
by his two sons and two daughters.
26
Wilfred Bruce Davis (H, 38-40):
died 11.4.2018 aged 92. Brother of
JPWHD (H, 35-39). He joined the
family company John Davis and Son
Ltd in Derby where he stayed until
the company was sold in 1960, though
he remained a director until 1970.
Witnessing the pain of his parents at
the end of their lives he determined to