Some Thoughts from Friends...…. We feel extremely privileged to have been able to call Tim our friend. We adored his dry sense of humour and his wry, caring and considerate nature. ---------- In appreciation of Tim who was a good friend since King’s and then Durham days. Almost 50 years. More recently he has added many new memories from his visit to us in Sierra Leone and Bath. ---------- When I think of Tim, I remember clearly a gentle face, a warm smile, a softly spoken man - possibly a bit shy. But always that warm smile. ---------- Tim played an important part in my life and leaves a gap. He was my oldest friend: we were at school together in the same house (this effectively meant we lived together). After we left we went to India together and came back overland on local buses mainly. This was incredibly bonding. For many years we did not see each other but always exchanged Christmas cards saying "let's get in touch this year". And when we did it didn't matter that it had been 10 years or more. I am pleased we managed a memorable weekend in my cottage in Wales in November 2018 … Tim was as charming and dryly funny as ever. ---------- I got to know Tim when we met as teachers in Saudi back in 1982. We soon realised that we shared the same kind of humour which kept us sane for the three months we spent unashamedly focused on the sizeable amount of money we were getting. It was a bit desperate at times, but that also made it quite funny, like: Making some of the worst home made wine ever made anywhere in the world; Drinking it, only days before getting on the plane home, purely to spite the Saudis and nearly poisoning ourselves in the process; Seeing Tim with ‘a number 1 or 2 haircut’ (scary looking!); Celebrating my 30th birthday by drinking 4 bottles of non-alcoholic beer, with a few puffs from a hubbly bubbly pipe; Chasing the pet rat around the apartment. ---------- We are so sad to hear the news of Tim’s death. We were really pleased to get to know him more in the last couple of years. He was a lovely person and a real gentleman. ---------- Tim and I bought a house together in Richmond Road, E8 where he, Claire, Edwina and I lived for about four years …. a rather glorious four storey Victorian terrace house overlooking London Fields and the then dilapidated lido. We all worked pretty hard in those days but plenty of fun was had there. His curries were amazing even then, despite there being a perfectly good curry house opposite. The curry house burnt down but I’m sure Tim wasn’t responsible. I used to take almost annual trips to Le Man 24 hour race each June and I persuaded Tim to come with us in 1988. I think it was probably against his better judgement but the pictures show a very relaxed chap enjoying himself. I can see him with a wry smile saying Yes – it wasn’t too bad. Tim’s quiet reticence to the fore. Merguez sausages are synonymous with Le Mans and Claire remembers us returning with plenty of these particular French sausages (reddish brown on the outside, bright pink in the middle). Definitely an acquired taste. To sum up, I can say Tim was a true friend – honest, kind hearted and delightful company with his lovely ironic sense of humour (still with him when I spoke to him the day before he died). ---------- Tim was a lovely guy – gentle, thoughtful, funny.... I’m so glad I had the chance to meet and get to know him. ---------- I shall always be grateful for Tim’s friendship. He was by a long way my oldest friend. I think we were about 3 years old when we first met when our respective fathers, John and Peter, were young theological students at Lincoln Theological College. We attended the same nursery school and I remember Tim and I being naughty and not doing as we were told by the nursery teacher, especially when we were meant to rest after lunch! Our families shared some holidays together and I also remember staying with Tim at the Rectory in Loose, near Maidstone, when we were about 10 or 11. We also saw each other occasionally while undergraduates at Durham. I am so grateful that we renewed contact about 3 years ago. Tim was a very honest man who kept to what he believed to be right, and balanced these virtues with a kind and gentle manner. I shall miss him very much. ---------- He was a lovely, gentle man who possessed an inner tranquillity and calm that is rarely seen. He will be missed, and our thoughts are with you at this sad time. ---------- Tim was a lovely friend, intelligent, funny, kind and considerate. I shall remember the good times we have shared over the decades. ---------- We always felt Tim was a remarkable man - always kind and generous with his time. ---------- Tim was a good friend to have, you counted it a privilege if you could say that. He had obvious skills and expertise in the work environment, although as a friend you may not have known the extent of them. He was a modest and humble fellow and inclined to play down his attributes and reputation. Amongst friends he would be a constant, gentle presence without ever seeking the attention he deserved. He was knowledgeable in many areas such as anthropology and the human condition, nature, environmentalism and conservation, business methods, digital technology, cookery and food, high and popular culture and sports. You could rely on him to provide a stimulating and informed debate or conversation on any of these topics as well as many others. If that makes him out to be a serious sort of cove, then that certainly was not the case. He had a well-developed and nuanced, dry sense of humour that was never far from the surface. This made him a delight to spend time with and I have fond memories of many such occasions. It is sad that there will be no more of those but the memories will live on. It was great to know him, he was one of the good guys. ---------- We so enjoyed his friendship and company. He had a special sense of humour and a wonderful gentle way. ---------- I can see his smile now along with hearing his mischievous laugh … I will miss him. ---------- We have such fond memories of Tim. Talking with him was always easy and relaxed. Somehow there were overlaps in our work and we seemed to have a lot in common. Tim was always thoughtful, perceptive and laughed easily. We will all miss him. ---------- From the e-mail sent by you and the family, it’s clear that Tim’s final days were filled with love, joy and happy memories of his life, shared with, and surrounded by those he held dearest…indeed, a blessing. I have fond memories of the holidays our families spent together in France, they were lovely carefree days. ---------- I always remember Tim and our amazing, wonderful days in India when we were so young and carefree. We were all so fortunate to have had that time together. It changed the direction of my life. ---------- Tim and I worked together at the Regent School of English from about 1979 until 1984 I think. He was a great bloke. The laughs we had in the staff room and in two nearby pubs- the George and the Portuguese Bar- were amazing. We were all young, stupid and relatively carefree. Tim was a great bloke - full of fun - but extremely sensible and able to give some very good advice - some which I even followed. Unfortunately inevitably we both went our separate ways, as the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language is essentially a young person’s occupation on the whole. Fairly recently I tried to contact him on Facebook - but couldn’t find him, which was a great pity. I’m sure we would have been able to renew our friendship.