Wherever he went, he made good friends, who in turn found him larger than life: in body, humour and forceful personality. Like his forebears, he hated formality and pretentiousness. He read voraciously and lived very simply. He married a second time, gaining a step daughter. His close family remained an important part of his life, and grandchildren from both his daughter and son brought special delight and enjoyment in later years. Dearly loved by many, he died peacefully at home in Halifax. His younger brother Tim Gilkes (52-62) has contributed significantly to this obituary. David Richard Thomas Gooding (1968-75) 24.07.57-08.11.11 David came to Dulwich from Benson Primary School, Shirley, Croydon, having won a scholarship and remained there until A level, at which time he won an Exhibition to Emmanuel College, Cambridge. There he read Electrical Sciences and graduated in 1979, when he gained an Industrial scholarship to EMI and was to work for them for the following four years on defence systems for the Ministry of Defence. During this time he was seconded to Martin Marietta in Florida to work on systems for guided missiles. After leaving EMI he worked for the computer firm Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), as a project manager in systems integration projects, often in the financial services sector. His expertise accordingly developed from electronics and hardware to software, project management and financial trading systems. After DEC was taken over by Compaq he decided to set up, with two other colleagues, his own computer services firm, as co-director. This traded successfully for several years, acquiring considerable employees, before he decided to leave and work as a self-employed contractor. In this role he worked for a number of well- known firms, including BP and Barclays. About 5 years ago he decided to become a regular employee again and started to work for Barclays Capital as a systems analyst. He had many outside interests - walking, cycling, gliding, sailing but one of the most enduring was target shooting, a sport he had taken up when at Dulwich. He shot in the School Eight against the Old Boys, a traditional fixture in those days (sadly now discontinued), on Founder’s Day, for the last time in 1975. The following year he shot in the same match for the Old Boys (the O.A.S.C.). From then on he was a dedicated member of the Old Alleynian Shooting Club who shoot regularly at Bisley and this continued unabated until three weeks before his death. He proved to be an excellent and reliable competitor and in the course of the years that followed won most, if not all, of the club trophies and consistently shot for the “A” team in external competitive competitions. In 1987 he took over the post of club treasurer and
in 2000 he was awarded the Captain’s Medal as a mark of appreciation for more than ten years service in this role which he continued to fulfil until 2011. Hugh Grant (cousin) and G G Tuckerman (OA) have contributed significantly to this obituary.
Robert Elderton Freer Green (1931-37) 13.9.18-25.10.11
Robert Green came to Dulwich from Sydenham Hill School, was captain of Raleigh, editor of The Alleynian and in the 3rd XI. He went on to read classics at Trinity College, Cambridge, and in WW2 served in the Royal Artillery rising to the rank of captain. The whole of his working life was in education first at Pilgrim’s School, Winchester, and then for thirty years at Bradford Grammar School where he was a highly respected classics master until his retirement in 1983. A meticulous linguistic scholar and lover of Horace’s Odes , he was a highly effective teacher of both junior and senior forms possessing effortless classroom control. He displayed the same efficiency as a form master as he did in the classroom and generations of boys in Fourth Classical (second forms in those days) benefited from his care, a blend of quiet good humour and social discipline. Appointed Head of Second Year, he involved himself closely in the wider life of the school particularly as coach of the u14 XV, enjoyed membership of the school orchestra as well as being a keen participant in trips both within the UK and abroad. He loved the Yorkshire Dales and was a keen hiker initiating the staff walk in 1955. Greatly respected by his colleagues, who included two fellow OAs, Robert West (1959-66) and David Moore (1952-62), who has contributed significantly to this obituary, he enjoyed a long retirement, although his later years were marred by failing health and he died in Tunbridge Wells. He displayed all the qualities of a rounded schoolmaster and was universally known to his pupils by his initials of REF. David Hurst came to Dulwich from Clare House, Beckenham, was a prefect, captain of swimming, in the 3rd XV and a CQMS in the JTC. After national service, commissioned in the Royal Artillery, he followed into the family insurance broking firm of Nelson Hurst & Co, later becoming a member of Lloyds. Married for 57 years to Stella, he died in Australia at Adelaide after a short illness. He made many enduring friendships at school, including one with Gordon Johnston, who has contributed to this obituary, and also in his business career, and will be sorely missed. David Morgan Hurst (1941-47) 29.11.29-05.12.11
38 Obituaries
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