Obituaries of Clare Members

Jeremy Ostriker (Fellow)

Jeremiah Ostriker, one of the most influential astrophysicists of the 20th century, died at the age of 87. His work reshaped our understanding of the Universe, revealing it to be dominated not just by stars and galaxies, but also by mysterious dark matter and dark energy. From 2001 to 2004, Ostriker held the Plumian Professorship of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Astronomy.

In the early 1970s, Ostriker and his colleague Jim Peebles showed that galaxies like our Milky Way should fly apart unless embedded in massive halos of invisible matter - what we now call 'dark matter'. Two decades later, working with Paul Steinhardt, he helped revive Einstein’s cosmological constant as a way to explain observations suggesting the Universe’s expansion was speeding up. That idea, once controversial, became central to the modern cosmological model after being confirmed by observations in 1998.

Alongside his theoretical work, Ostriker was instrumental in launching large-scale international collaborations, including the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, a project that has mapped millions of galaxies, and, making its data freely available to astronomers around the world, has resulted in a huge range of astronomical discoveries. His influence extended far beyond his own research: he was a mentor to generations of scientists across the world and remained deeply engaged with new ideas and discoveries into his final years.

Professor Cathie Clarke, co-director of the Institute of Astronomy, and a Fellow of Clare said "Jerry was a highly visible and interactive presence in the department during his years as Plumian Professor. He was a regular at the IoA's coffee and teatimes, engaging in spirited scientific conversations; indeed his support of the importance of these events in the scientific life of the IoA led him to donating funds to improve the biscuits served! While in Cambridge, Jerry was a Fellow of Clare College and played an important role in advising the College on matters of finance and alumni relations."

Written by Matthew Bothwell, University of Cambridge

1933
Anthony Lloyd

1944
Philip Colin Graham (Natural Sciences)
Philip Colin Christison Graham, named after his father Philip but always known as Colin, was born on 1 August 1926 in Edinburgh. At 13 he went to Glenalmond School (then known as Trinity College Glenalmond). He won a place in 1944 at Clare College, Cambridge. His time at Cambridge was interrupted by National Service for 2 years, where following basic training at Catterick, he served in the Royal Signals Corps. He returned to Cambridge, to complete his degree in Natural Sciences in 1950.

In 1952 he joined the Rubber Research Association in Shawbury as a research chemist. At the Shrewsbury Theatre Guild he met Dorothy Ireland, who was directing plays, while he was working on lighting and sound. They were married in 1955 and would be together for over 63 years. He then moved to the Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Harwell, where he began training as a Patent Agent. In 1964 he joined Pfizer in Sandwich, where he rose to become European Head of Patents.

He became a Quaker in 1978, later becoming an Overseer of the Canterbury Meeting. His passions were for local history, archaeology and walking. He researched and wrote a history of Crown Yard, which came to house Canterbury’s first police station. Music was an important part of his life, having learnt the cello as a child. He sang in the Seventy Chamber Choir in Broadstairs, and was a member of the Canterbury Singers, a small a cappella group, for many years.

He retired in 1988 and then travelled widely. He was a walk leader for the local Rambling group, where he continued to lead shorter rambles into his late 80’s – usually with a lunch stop at a pub! He participated in many local groups such as the Three Cities Association, the Canterbury Archaeology Society, and St Peter’s Music.

He died peacefully in the Charterhouse Care Home, Keynsham after a short illness, on 17 January 2025, at the age of 98. His wife Dorothy died in June 2019. He is survived by his son Michael (Clare 1976), daughter Elly, and grandchildren Max and Louise.

Branko Mirosevic-Sorgo (Mechanical Science)

1945
Raymond Meredith Belbin (Pathology)
Dr Raymond Meredith Belbin, founder of Belbin Limited died peacefully at home surrounded by his family aged 98 years old. His legacy has transformed the world’s understanding of workplace teams, and his work is utilised daily around the globe in corporate business and academia. His lectures, original thinking and ongoing research have inspired students, corporate professionals and academics for six decades and have earned him the title of one of the management greats.

Known as the ‘father of Team Roles’, Belbin devoted his professional life to improving team performance and challenging thinking around organisational design. He continued to travel the globe delivering lectures and new material well into his 80s, with his works translated into 25 languages and with distribution partners in 35 countries. Up until his passing he was still an active Patron of Belbin Ltd., regularly visiting the head office, and he was working on his latest book at the time of his death.

Meredith Belbin’s groundbreaking theory stemmed from meticulous and pioneering research in the 1960s and 70s. In an ambitious project, Meredith and his research team closely studied managers participating in business games only to discover that behavioural diversity – and not intelligence – was the determining factor in team success. Belbin Team Role theory has come to be regarded as a cornerstone of management consultancy and HR practice.

Dr Belbin was born in Sevenoaks, Kent in 1926. He studied Classics and Psychology at Clare College. He was appointed a research fellow at Cranfield College (now Cranfield School of Management at Cranfield University) and later returned to Cambridge to chair the Industrial Training Research Unit (ITRU) where his wife, Eunice, was director.

He consulted for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and worked with the US Department of Labor where he became an early proponent of “work experience” – a new-fangled concept at the time. Much of his work related to re-training older members of the workforce.

During the 1960s and 70s at Cambridge’s ITRU, he conducted the research that would define his career. In the 1980s and 90s he published his seminal books, Management Teams: Why They Succeed or Fail and Team Roles at Work. He developed a world-renowned reputation as a management theorist and travelled the world sharing his thinking, knowledge and experiences with management schools, HR professionals, managers and business leaders.

Alongside his wife and his son, Nigel, he established Belbin Associates (now Belbin Limited) to encapsulate his findings, wisdom and experience in the form of Interplace – a software platform that gave access to the gold-standard team tool to organisations and consultants across the globe.

Belbin was fascinated by differences between individuals, their differing potentials and how they can contribute in their own unique way. He believed that everyone has something to offer if only we can discover their unique strengths and
encourage them to use them.

Dr Belbin is survived by his son, Nigel, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

1947
George Fortune Brodrick Birdwood (Natural Sciences)
George was born in Harrow on 23rd April 1929. His father, Hubert, had been sent home to recover from his wounds received on the Western Front, and stayed with distant cousins, one of whom, Brenda, he married in 1918.

At eight he was sent to Kingsmead School in Seaford. There he fell ill with a burst appendix, pneumonia and peritonitis. He recovered due to a radical new drug called penicillin, but he missed a year of school, and his experience led him to take up medicine.

After Seaford he went to Radley and took up rowing, continuing his transformation from a sickly boy to a strong athlete.

Then up to Clare College in 1947 to read medicine, although he continued to spend much of his time on the river. He shared rooms with his contemporary and fellow medic David Jennens. He made many lifelong friends at Clare, including Push Pulman and Bill Shakespeare.

Graduation was followed by Bart’s Hospital. There he captained the small boat club and took several crews to Henley. He also met Gaynor, who was a ward sister. They were married in 1953.

After qualifying he was posted to Austria to do his national service as a doctor. His son James was born in Klagenfurt in 1955. In 1957 he returned to general practice in Kings Langley where John was born in 1958. In 1967 he took up a post in publishing with Ciba-Geigy. He had a long career with them, writing, translating and editing on medical matters, and went all over the world to medical conferences.

He became interested in the issue of drug abuse. In 1969 he wrote a successful book: ‘The Willing Victim, a parent’s guide to drug abuse’. His book was a welcome breath of fresh air, full of information and common sense. He was in demand for radio and TV appearances and was involved in many charities. His contacts in the Home Office led to an invitation to join the Parole Board where he served for many years.

He had a lifelong love of classical music and opera (pre-Wagner). In later years Handel and particularly Haydn were his favourites.

He was a keen gardener, and a prolific grower of fruit and vegetables. His tomato crops were legendary, and he had a fine collection of orchids.

He was proud to have been at Clare and made regular visits to the college for dinners and events. Ill health affected him in his last few years, but he retained his sharpness of mind until the very end.

Bernard Keeffe (Music)
Bernard Keeffe, a pioneering figure in music and broadcasting, died aged 97 on November 27, 2022. This year marks the centenary of his birth.

Bernard was born in Woolwich. His uncle, an amateur linguist, encouraged Bernard’s interest in languages, and, at 11, he earned a scholarship to St. Olave’s Grammar School. Despite being evacuated for four years, he excelled in literature, music and athletics, becoming School Captain.

In 1943, Bernard won an Exhibition in Classics at Clare, but World War II intervened. He was sent to the Japanese Section at Bletchley Park, where he met Welsh composer Daniel Jones, who encouraged Bernard’s interest in music. After Bletchley, aged just 21, he was deployed to Hiroshima. Singing for bomb survivors and hearing Japanese musicians had a profound influence on Bernard's life.

Bernard eventually arrived at Clare, switching from Classics to English, then Music. He immersed himself in Clare's vibrant cultural life, including singing in Berlin under Boris Ord during the 1948 Blockade. After graduating, Bernard studied singing with Lucie Manen and joined Glyndebourne Festival Chorus. From 1955, as a BBC conductor and radio producer, he worked with leading composers, eventually becoming Head of Opera (Radio). He then succeeded Lord Harwood as Controller of Opera Planning at Covent Garden; a prestigious role, but he couldn’t pursue conducting. Faced with this reality, he relocated to Glasgow to conduct the BBC Scottish Orchestra - a difficult decision he never regretted.

A prominent conductor, Bernard worked with the leading orchestras and choirs, including for the Anglo-Austrian Society. He served as Chair of its Music Society from 1996 to 2015, and later President. In 2016, in recognition of his significant contributions, Bernard was awarded the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art.

A notable component of his career was devoted to promoting overlooked composers, such as German refugee Berthold Goldschmidt. Bernard’s early 1950s English translation of Janacek’s work maintained the original style thus encouraging more performances.

Bernard was an innovating force in music analysis and broadcasting. Having already made an impact on television, he was there at the birth of BBC Two. He wrote and presented groundbreaking episodes in the Workshop series, exploring major classical works using a live orchestra. He made acclaimed programmes analysing Elgar, Puccini and Mahler, and his skill in engaging audiences was evident in historical series such as Chronicle. A dedicated educator, he utilised this talent in children’s concerts for ERMA and Sir Robert Mayer; was Professor of Conducting at Trinity College of Music for 22 years and Music Director of Jugend und Musik in Vienna. His final performance was in 2015, aged 90, conducting Elgar’s Sospiri.

A man of keen intellect and humility, Bernard’s remarkable life is a testament to the transformative power of music and education. He demonstrated considerable expertise, wit and generosity, inspiring those who knew him, and gained the respect and admiration of his peers. Bernard is deeply missed by all who loved him. He is survived by his wife Denise; children David and Bernadette; and grandchildren.

David (Donald) Macmillan (Law)

1948
Stamford Drake (Mathematics)
Andrew Oldrey Russell (Natural Sciences)

1949
James Olav Arnold (Engineering)
Olav Arnold was born Leeds to a Norwegian mother (Marie Bredal) and Yorkshire Father (Edmund Arnold). He attended The Elms school, Stowe and then Clare College Cambridge where he studied Engineering. It was at University amidst his love for skiing that he met his first wife Nina Wingate and they married and settled in Scarcroft near Leeds. They had 3 children before Nina sadly died in 1977. In 1978 Olav married Liz Wilson - a piano teacher and opera singer. Olav served with the Green Howards Regiment and spent some time at the Leeds Printing College before entering the family firm of educational publishers EJ Arnold and Son Limited. Following the premature death of their father, Edmund in 1939, Olav and his older brother Martin took over the running of Company and worked there until its sale to Pergamon Press in 1982. Olav became President of the Masters Printers Federation in 1977, the third generation of Arnolds to hold this post. Prior to this appointment he had been Chairman of the BFMP Technical Committee. Other local positions included being Director of the Leeds and Holbeck Building Society for 10 years and Chairman for two years; a very active Chairman of the Leeds Civic Trust for 10 years during which period 150 Blue Plaques were erected on various buildings throughout Leeds. He was Chairman of the Scarcroft Parish Council and together with Lionel Scott they wrote and published ‘Scarcroft then and Now’ – a History of the Village. Olav was a talented local artist often exhibiting and selling paintings at local art shows. He was the founder member of Thorner Art Club as well as Thorner Probus Group. Together with Liz they sponsored and were involved in many musical events, in particular the Leeds International Piano Competition and Leeds Lieder. Olav enjoyed playing the piano and cello. He was a keen sportsman, in particular enjoying tennis, golf (member at Alwoodley GC for 74 years), walking, especially in the Dales, and fishing. He enjoyed travelling, not only regularly to Norway where many of his mother’s family are but numerous longer trips as well to all parts of the world. He had been suffering with dementia/alzheimers for a few years and passed away peacefully on Sunday 10th November 2024. He will be fondly missed by his wife Liz, his 3 children, Karen, Christopher, Rachel, 8 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren, and the wider family here in the UK, and in Norway as well as his many friends and acquaintances he has met along his life’s long memorable journey.

1960
Michael Seymour (Natural Sciences)
Michael was born in Beaconsfield and died in Streatley, Berkshire where we lived for over 30 years. He was educated at Gayhurst Preparatory school Gerrards Cross and at Bradfield College Berkshire where he became head boy. He played a great deal of sport both as a schoolboy and as an old boy, including rugby fives, football, cricket and squash. He then went on to Cambridge University where he was captain of lawn tennis and played fives for the University.

He joined a Geological expedition to Spitzbergen for 3 months and then went on to be a school master for 5 years at Stowe School. He then decided to change careers and went to Imperial College London to do a master’s in petroleum engineering sponsored by Burma Oil Company who sent us out to Perth, Western Australia. Burma Oil and Woodside Petroleum discovered a major oil and gas field offshore on the North West Shelf to the west of Western Australia. After 5 years we came back to England where Michael worked for Conoco. He then decided to form his own oil and gas exploration company, working both in the UK and in central Europe, mainly in Romania, Bulgaria and Poland. He eventually retired in 2016 having set up several small exploration companies.

In his retirement he concentrated his sporting efforts on playing Real Tennis, playing at the Oratory School and Hardwick House in Berkshire. He played in the world over 80’s amateur singles and doubles competitions and was winner in both categories. Michael also followed his passion for drinking, tasting and buying and selling wine. He helped begin the Goring and Streatley Wine Society, and went to many countries on wine tasting tours, including both Europe, South America, and New Zealand.

He eventually was diagnosed with a large brain tumour and died peacefully in the Royal Berks Hospital with all his family around his bedside.

1961
Ian Duncan (Social Anthropology)

Roger Fenn (Mathematics)
Roger died on 1st January 2025 aged 82. He was born in July 1942, spending his first few years in London until the family moved to Bristol after the war. Roger failed his 11 plus, but after one year at a secondary modern he was moved to Lockleaze comprehensive school, newly set up in the reorganisation of Bristol’s local education provision. Here he thrived, being particularly inspired by his mathematics teacher, Colin Evans, and was notably the first person to gain a place at Cambridge from a comprehensive school. Roger met his first wife Marion during one of his regular visits to the Cambridge folk club and had three children Tom, Georgina and James.

After graduating, Roger gained a PHD at King’s College, London and obtained an academic post at The University of Sussex where he remained throughout his career. He taught a variety of courses in algebra and topology over the years but is best known for his research into knot theory. He made significant contributions to the algebraic systems used for classifying and distinguishing knots and pioneered the generalisation of knots, introducing various new types of knot as well as developing the algebra required for their study. A respected and active researcher all of his life, he published several papers even after his retirement from teaching. His third book, on Combinatorial Knot Theory, was published in 2024 and he was still working on his last paper right up until his final few days.

In 2009 Roger married his second wife Liz. They had a mutual love of music, Roger introducing Liz to jazz and Liz introducing Roger to early music. As well as learning to play several instruments including the saxophone, trombone, sackbut and tenor shawm, he learnt to make instruments including a baroque violin. He sang and played renaissance music, as well as jazz and folk music. Roger was multitalented and always keen to acquire new skills, from furniture making to building telescopes. But above all, he was kind, generous and warm hearted, an extremely good friend to many including a small group from Clare with whom he kept in touch regularly.

Roger is survived by his wife, three children and three grandchildren.

Adam Pearce (Economics)
Adam was born with his identical twin brother, David in Karachi, India where his father was in the Indian Civil Service. After Partition the family came to Suffolk where they ran a fruit farm.

After school at Bishop Stortford College, Adam attended Clare College, The University of California, and City University, London.

He worked with statistics for Gloucester Social Services, then joined British Gas as a Systems Analyst in Staines and Solihull. Adam loved to swim and ramble and also enjoyed photography and gardening. He is survived by his wife, Helen.

1962
Nicholas John Constantine Argyris (Economics)
Nicholas John Constantine Argyris was born on 22 March 1943 in London, only child of Eileen Pollard and Constantine Hadjiargyris. He spent the early part of his childhood in London before the family moved to Athens, Constantine’s hometown. Nicholas went to a Greek school.

In 1953, he moved back to England and went to a boarding school where he spent a year before going on to St Paul's at 11 years old. From then on, he lived with his parents who were back from Greece. Success in chess beckoned Nicholas and he became British boys champion for the London league in chess at the age of 16 in September 1959.

Going on to study at Cambridge, he obtained a BA in Economics (1965). He was an adventurous young man, hitchhiking across France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and other European countries. When he was attending Cambridge University, he met his first wife Carol. They married in 1966 and became teachers in London. They had three children, Chloë, Sophie and Costa.

Nicholas was a schoolmaster from 1966 to 1968. Then he became a civil servant at the Ministry of Economics. In 1973, Nicholas got a job at the European Commission in Brussels. His career took off and he steadily worked his way up to become Director in Telecommunications (from 1993 to 2001).

In 1984, Nicholas attended a circle dance teaching workshop. He soon started a group of dancers near Brussels where he met his second wife Danielle, a Belgian national he married in 1992. He enjoyed dancing for a period of over thirty years.

Nicholas retired in 2001 and, with his wife, moved to Scotland. Nicholas had many interests – he loved chess and played across board games then took up solving chess puzzles. He was invited annually to London to compete in the finals of the British Chess Puzzle Solving Championship. Nicholas also enjoyed singing and joined The Big Choir in Forres, his town, where he sang regularly.

A man of impeccable taste, he was cultured and hungry to embrace life as fully as possible. He was collecting art works, books, CDs and DVDs. He donated his library to the Aberdeen University Library. He didn't need a lot of friendships in his life perhaps as a result of his strong sense of himself and highly independent nature. However, he did have some lasting friendships through his life which he valued greatly. He was extremely well respected in his chosen career and highly thought of in his circles, evident by some of the lovely comments that have been received by the family after his death on 31 July 2024.

He was diplomatic and approachable, with a steady determination. He accepted that sometimes, you can't get everything at the first move, you need to be prepared to negotiate. A quiet man, Nicholas was spiritually minded. A sense of belonging was extremely important to him, which he imbued in great measure equally to Danielle and his children.

Peter Robert McFerran (Law)
Lawrence Reddaway (Mechanical Science)
George Peter Richardson (Theology)

1963
John Knox (Mechanical Sciences)
John Henry Ainsworth Knox was born in 1944 in Berkhamsted, the youngest child of Norman and Peggy who were both GPs in the town of Tring.

After Berkhamsted School, he read Mechanical Sciences at Clare College, following in the footsteps of his brother George (Clare, 1951) and Mother Peggy (Girton). Rowing was a huge part of his life while at Clare, and he was elected Boat Club Captain for his final year 1965-66. He was a strong oarsman: at the start of his 3rd year, he was bowman in the senior College Light Four. His strengths, however, went beyond just pulling on an oar. He steered the club through some tough times, and grew it substantially, from having just 2 racing eights when he began to 7 by the end of his year in charge. He was resolute under pressure, and a great motivator and a lifelong friend of Clare rowing.

Upon graduating his first engineering job was in Wiltshire. During this time, he rowed for Stratford Boat Club with considerable success, the highlight being selection for the Severn Scullers who reached the semi-finals at the British Regatta Championships at Henley.

He then joined Courtaulds as a junior engineer in Coventry. After two years he was asked to go out to Swaziland as a plant engineer in a pulp mill, where he acquired a taste for travel.

The next two jobs with Courtaulds were slightly less exotic: textile factories in Derby in 1973 then Workington in 1974.

What was supposed to be a short stint at the Courtaulds Metal Plant in Trinidad ended up as 11 years as he progressed to become chief engineer in the Industrial Gases Factory and then Managing Director in the Plastics Factory. John loved island life and raced his yacht most weekends.

He eventually put down roots in Cumbria in 1988, marrying Jenny and bringing up twins Peter and Louisa. He finished his career as a management consultant, specializing in renewable and nuclear supply chains.

After a 30-year break from rowing, he founded the Lakeland Rowing Club alongside two Clare friends Roger Heise and Ian Hill. From humble beginnings the club now has over a hundred members and delivers both grassroots and competitive rowing on Derwentwater and Windermere. John was a huge part of the local community and very generous with his time, friendship and expertise, for the benefit of various committees and fundraising events.

His great passions in life were classical music, fell-walking, cycling and cooking. He died peacefully on 4th July 2025, 18 months after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

1964
Roy Arnold Brown (Moral Sciences)
Simon Charles Marlow (Music)
Simon Marlow, pianist, teacher, poet, and passionate advocate for music and community, passed away suddenly on Saturday, 15th March 2025, aged 79.

Born in Purley in 1945, Simon was the eldest son of Alan and Marian Marlow. From an early age, he was shaped by his mother’s sharp intellect and his father’s love of words and music. He attended Whitgift School in Croydon, where music became central to his life. He first learned the piano under the guidance of his father, sharing cherished moments playing duets together. As a teenager, he also took up the French horn and earned a place in the National Youth Orchestra.

Simon read Music at Clare College, studying piano with Ivey Dickson. After a brief period teaching music at a Catholic school in Stevenage, he devoted himself to private piano teaching, allowing him greater freedom to perform.

In 1973 Simon met Frances Marlow, a District Nurse in Ashwell, and they both settled down in Hertfordshire. In the same year Simon made his debut recital at Wigmore Hall, launching a career that took him across the UK, Europe, the United States, Iceland, and Sri Lanka. He performed as a soloist, chamber musician, and accompanist, appearing with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, recording and broadcasting along the way. He valued musical collaboration deeply and was known for the creativity and vitality he brought to his partnerships.

Simon’s career also took unexpected and enriching paths. He spent many years working for the Lucis Trust, an educational charity with which he remained deeply engaged — a commitment he continued until the end of his life. An active member of the Parish Council for many years, he helped establish local allotments and tree-planting initiatives. Later, he was elected to the District Council, where he advocated for environmental causes, notably securing a ban on the use of Paraquat on pavements.

He played the organ at Hinxworth Church for many years, including during the COVID-19 lockdowns, when he ingeniously encouraged the congregation to hum when singing was restricted.
Simon performed and hosted charity concerts for Amnesty International at their home, Hill Cottage — much-loved events that brought together neighbours and friends year after year.

In his later years, Simon found a new love: poetry. He immersed himself in Shakespeare’s sonnets, often reciting them from memory, and eventually began writing his own. His first poetry collection, Musings – Poems, was published in the Netherlands in March 2025, coinciding with his final concert in The Hague.

Simon and Frances celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 2024 — a blessed union that had touched and inspired people across all generations, from all walks of life, from all parts of the world. Simon will be remembered not only for his musical talent and literary spirit but for his generosity, conviction, and the quiet brilliance with which he enriched the lives of those around him.

Solomon Moise Negrine (Mathematics)

Richard Pestell (Mechanical Science)
Richard was educated at Bedford Modern School and read Mechanical Sciences at Clare. After working at a Scout Summer Camp in the USA in 1966, he decided to pursue a career in education and completed a PGCE in Cambridge. On leaving Cambridge in 1968, on 24 August he married Rosemary, who had read History at Newnham.

He taught Maths in secondary schools, initially at Theale Green School in Berkshire, then as Head of the Maths Department at Wheatley Park School in Oxfordshire, where Theresa May was one of his A-level students. In 1974, the same year his daughter Katharine was born, he accepted a post in local government to work as an area education officer in West Oxfordshire. In 1978 he was appointed Deputy Area Education Officer based in Plymouth and the family moved to live in Tavistock. In 1983 he was promoted to a post as County Schools Officer based in Exeter, and the family moved to Crediton.

When he was appointed as Deputy County Director of Education in Northamptonshire in 1986, the family moved to live in Weston Favell, a village on the edge of Northampton. This was a time of change in education nationally, with the challenges presented by the National Curriculum and Assessment, including the introduction of GCSE, Local Management and financial delegation to schools, and Compulsory Competitive Tendering for local government services. Richard was also involved at the national level in the development of the new GCSE Maths curriculum and sitting on Special Needs Tribunals.

Richard became increasingly involved in voluntary positions in the Church of England, at Parish, Deanery and Diocesan levels, serving as Lay Chair of the local Deanery Synod and on the Diocesan Board of Education. In 2000 he took early retirement from local government and was appointed Diocesan Secretary for the Peterborough Diocese, effectively the CEO working within the Bishop’s senior team, and networking with other Diocesan Secretaries nationally. He was appointed as Lay Canon of Peterborough Cathedral by Bishop Ian Cundy. After his second retirement in 2010, he continued to engage in voluntary work, for the church as a Reader, and as Trustee for many local charities, one example being Chair of Northamptonshire County Record Society.

Richard enjoyed a number of leisure interests, such as reading, gardening, golf, walking and travel. Among many memorable holidays he enjoyed with Rosemary are an overland trip to Moscow and Leningrad in 1971, a trip in 1994 covering large parts of China and including a cruise down the Yangzi River from Chongqing to Nanjing, and in retirement holidays to S Africa, Malaysia, Japan and Peru, and cruises, including one to Svalbard.
Fellow alumni who matriculated in 1964 would have learned from their Reunion Booklet the sad news that he was suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, diagnosed in 2022. The rapid development of this was exacerbated by a further diagnosis of cancer. He moved into a Care Home in March 2024 and died on 8 May this year in Northampton General Hospital.

Richard is survived by his wife Rosemary, daughter Katharine, and grandchildren Hannah, Ian, and James. He was much loved and is greatly missed by his family and friends.

Terence Oliver Pike (Mechanical Sciences)
Terence Oliver Pike was born 16 November 1944 to Mr and Mrs Oliver Pike in Leigh on Sea, Essex. He grew up in Holyport, Berkshire, alongside his younger sister Sally. Following a year in Switzerland, he attended Rugby school from 1958-63. Aged 18, Terence drove his mother’s car to Eastern Europe with a school friend, reaching Romania during the height of the Cold War. This experience kick-started a life-long passion for travel.

In the summer of 1964, Terence joined a bus trip leaving for Nepal. The bus made it to the foothills of the Himalayas, with Terence then going on to Kathmandu where he and his fellow travelers were made Honorary Members of the Nepalese Automobile Association.

From October 1964 until July 1967, Terence attended Clare College Cambridge where he enrolled in the Mechanical Sciences Tripos (Engineering). At Clare, Terence played squash and real tennis. He also indulged in his passion for stamp dealing with a business which he (Terence Oliver Pike) aptly named TOPstamps. After Terence graduated from Cambridge, he returned to India with a minibus of seven in 1967. 

Thanks to the introduction provided by his University Careers Advisor, Colonel Ken Wylie, Terence secured a position in the multinational engineering/construction company, Chicago Bridge and Iron Co, starting work on January 1, 1968 and taking early retirement  on September 30, 2003. A very fortunate 35 year single employer career which oscillated between periods of two to four years overseas and one or two years back in the UK. Overseas locations included Saudi Arabia (for a summer), Helsinki (for two winters), Tehran, San Francisco, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Paris, Jakarta, Dubai, and Amsterdam. A rich cocktail of experiences.  It was in Kuala Lumpur that Terence first met and then married his wife Valerie on November 14, 1998. Throughout his time in these locations, Terence and Valerie were joined by family and many friends, organising wonderful, shared experiences, including trips to the Bornean rainforest to see orangutans and white water rafting in Sulawesi.

In addition to exploring new places, Terence’s travels allowed him to pursue other passions, including antique collecting (a hobby inherited from his father) and the Hash House Harriers running club. Terence and Valerie came back to the UK in 2002, where they lived in Sunningdale, alongside a collection of antiques and mementos reflecting all the places where they had lived and travelled. 

Despite being diagnosed with Parkinson’s, Terence never lost his spirit or humour, showing great valour and being supported at every step by Valerie. Terence always had great stories to tell of a world which has changed so much. He lived life to the full and is remembered with much love by Valerie, his sister Sally, his nieces and nephews, and his wider family and friends.

1966
James Arthur Bennett (Natural Sciences)
Professor Jim Bennett, known as ‘Jumbo’ to many of his friends when an undergraduate, sadly died of cancer in October 2023. Born in Belfast, Jim went to Grosvenor High School there and came to Clare in 1966 to study natural sciences. Outside of his studies Jim was a keen rugby player and enjoyed rowing. (He kept his oar from 1969 proudly displayed on a wall in his house). After graduating he completed a PhD in the history and philosophy of science which was later published in 1982 as The Mathematical Science of Christopher Wren. After a year teaching at Aberdeen University, he became an archivist at the Royal Astronomical Society, and then Curator of Astronomy at the National Maritime Museum.

Jim returned to Cambridge in 1979 where, in addition to being Curator of the Whipple Museum for fifteen years, he was, at various times also Director of Studies in History and Philosophy of Science at Clare, St. John's and Churchill Colleges, and Tutor and Senior Research Fellow of Churchill.

In 1994 he started the post of Director of the Museum of the History of Science (now the History of Science Museum) at the University of Oxford. He transformed the museum with a massive redevelopment and made it a vibrant, accessible place with a sevenfold increase in visitor numbers.

As a museum director Jim became well known for his innovative exhibitions in Cambridge and Oxford. He had a unique way of turning what might be a dull and staid topic into something interesting and attention-grabbing. As a scholar, his output was prolific. He authored, co-authored, and edited well over one hundred and fifty publications aboutscientific instruments and related themes. He turned around the way historians thought about scientific instruments, their makers, and users, and advocated that they were crucial to the development of scientific thought.

After retiring from Oxford Jim was appointed Visiting Keeper at the Science Museum, London, and then became President of the Hakluyt Society for a five-year term.

Jim’s areas of interest were very wide-ranging; in recognition of his work in so many areas he received several awards, most recently the Sarton Medal of the History of Science Society in 2020, the highest honour in the discipline, and last year, the Agnes Mary Clarke Medal, awarded for outstanding research into the history of astronomy. He was greatly admired and respected by the international community of fellow scholars.

Notwithstanding his academic reputation, Jim was very approachable and kind. He had a natural ability to put people at ease and many tributes after his death say how inspirational he was. Jim was a wonderful raconteur with a witty sense of humour. He had a masterful way with words, used to great effect when telling stories, and in his academic publications. He will be missed.

He is survived by his second wife, Sylvia Sumira, his daughters Siobhan, and Yolaine from his first marriage, his sister Ruth and four grandchildren.

Stephen Dukes (Medicine)
Jeremy Ison (Natural Sciences)

1968
Angus Foster (Law)

1969
David Isaacs (Medical Sciences)

Derek Clifford Wybrow Pope (Economics)
Derek Clifford Pope - affectionately known as Cliff - was born on the 14th of October 1949 in Paisley, the older of two brothers. After studying at St Albans School, he arrived at Clare in 1969 on a scholarship to read Natural Sciences which he did for two years before switching to read Economics in his final year. A quiet and at times diffident man he found university life quite challenging at times but his high intelligence and his close friendship group, formed in the first term and unchanging for three years, enabled him to see it through successfully. He was a natural academic and later in life researched and compiled a magnificent genealogical history of his family stretching back to the Norman Conquest. His room in Old Court became a regular rallying point for his friends eager to have one of his legendary bacon sandwiches. He was extraordinarily gifted practically which at one point involved him virtually rebuilding a car which he co-owned with his friends - useful to have in Cambridge. He also owned and was rightly very proud of a Triumph Roadster in which his friends were privileged to be given a ride occasionally.

After leaving Clare he began working for the GLC as an accountant, living in Wandsworth and generally enjoying life. He married his first wife, Helen, who had Multiple Sclerosis and as a result they moved to rural Wales where Cliff, now his wife's official carer, adapted a rundown farmhouse to suit her needs. His DIY skills were invaluable, and the house took shape quickly. He also transformed a field into what some have described as a magical garden. Cliff also joined, built up, and ran a restoration company, taking broken furniture and mending it for resale. After his first wife's death he married Anne and together they had three children, all home schooled and they continued to live in and develop the house, now with its own water supply from a well on their land the working of which Cliff had devised and put into practice. In retirement he was at his happiest with his family at home working around the house and in the extensive grounds which contained his beloved classic cars, a tractor, a Land Rover, a dinghy and a self-built library to contain his extensive second-hand book collection.

His death earlier this year was unexpected and a shock to family and friends. It was especially poignant as he had just come out of a difficult period in his life and was looking forward to the future with optimism. He was a one off - multi talented and probably unaware of how much he was loved.

1970
Alan Gardiner (English)

1973
Elizabeth Jane Bateman (Modern & Medieval Languages)

1979
Steve Graham Barker (Natural Sciences, Physics)
This is a personal tribute to my late husband, Dr. Steve Barker, who was a senior lecturer of Computer Science at King’s College London and a highly respected member of the Data and Applications Security and Privacy Community.

Steve entered Clare College in 1980 and studied Natural Sciences (Physics) for 3 years; he spent a fourth year gaining qualified teacher status. Steve recounts his time spent at Clare as the most memorable, enjoyable and formative years of his life.

After a period spent working for Texas Instruments, he went to study for a master’s degree in computer science at Imperial College London. In the late 1990s, Steve returned to Imperial to receive a PhD degree in Computer Science. Marek Sergot, (Emeritus Professor in Computing, Imperial College London), supervised his Ph.D. thesis which was entitled Database Access Control by Logic Programming. The application of logic programming to access control remained the focus of Steve’s research. In 1994, he successfully completed an Open University degree in Mathematics and returned to Cambridge to successfully complete a master’s degree by research in Educational Studies. Steve was committed to teaching, learning and study. He was the Chair of the Departmental Teaching Committee for several years at King’s and awarded a Teaching Excellence prize in 2007.

In August 2002, Steve accepted a position as a lecturer in the Department of Computer Science at King’s College London. He previously taught at the University of Westminster for 14 years. I met Steve in 2002 in my role as an administrative officer in the department.

Overall, Steve published more than 50 articles in the literature on computer science; his most mature work was on access control in computer security. Amongst that work, his paper in honour of Marek Sergot’s 60th birthday remains a good, mature overview of Steve’s ultimate contribution to the literature on computer science.

The International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) Conference held in Paris, July 2012, was dedicated to Steve and Steve was also honoured with the IFIP Outstanding Service Award at that conference.

Despite his remarkable academic achievements and intellectual brilliance, Steve was a modest, quiet and thoughtful man with a vast range of personal interests. He enjoyed evenings spent at home watching television and visiting cathedrals, village churches, following cricket and supported his local football team of Portsmouth or ‘Pompey’, as they are known. He enjoyed classic 1980s rock and pop music and modern art particularly the work of Dali, Picasso and Pollock. Steve was enthusiastic about modern Western philosophy especially the work of Wittgenstein and the relationship between logic and language. Ultimately, Steve was a gentleman, always helpful and courteous to all. It was my honour and privilege to have known Steve and to be his partner and wife.

(Written by Gillian Barker).

I had the pleasure of knowing Steve for many years before his untimely demise. We were work colleagues who became fast friends through pub lunches and sporting activities. I particularly enjoyed weekends away when his parents made me feel part of the family.

In particular I would like to mention Steve’s support for me through difficult personal periods. He was always available to help. A man of many virtues, his concern for others was always apparent. It has been a pleasure to provide this insight into Steve’s character.

(Written by friend, Steve Claridge).

1982
Hilary Grace Johnson (Natural Sciences)

1984
Peter Lawson Keage (Polar Studies)

1986
Fiona Rosemary King (Law)