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ONA — Old Novocastrians Association Magazine
Obituaries Michael J Smith (49-59) Born 1941, Died 22 November 2009, aged 68 directed him in the school orchestra. He remembers beginning his musical education at the age of one, thanks to our mother, who listened to the 1940s equivalent of Classic FM from morning till night. Mr Hood encouraged his first compositions, and he produced a steady stream of pieces for varying sizes of orchestra and for solo instruments. Our father was determined that he qualify in the ‘real world’ so he went to Leeds University, studying composition under Herbert Howells, and then became a professional violin player, initially in Holland, where he met and married Muriel Janse. Whilst his two sons, Christopher and Robin, “If anybody asks me how did you were growing up, Michael played with the National Orchestra under Alexander learn to compose, I answer ‘How Scottish Gibson. Back in Holland, he switched to the did you learn to breathe?” viola. His joy at finally discovering the instrument which he felt was meant for him expressed itself (M J Smith) in the formation of Altorama, one of the first viola Music was my brother’s raison d’etre, although ensembles. He was section leader and frequent soloist in the Noord Hollands Orkest he was passionate about all sorts of things – the Lake District, cricket, Scrabble and even the until his retirement five years ago and then played in several amateur orchestras. He was English weather! as committed to these as to anything in his professional life, and was proud to play Michael was at the RGS from the age of 11 Schindler’s List at the annual memorial service until 1959. He was taught to play the violin by for the concentration camp at Vught near where Johnson Hood, and Jack Wolstenholme
Edwin L L Jones (52-59) died 15 December
George R Dickson (59-66) died 10 February
2009, aged 68. He was formerly Honorary Treasurer of the ONA.
2010, aged 62. Ronald Elder (33-40) died 5 February, aged 87.
Peter F Jameson (38-40) died 15 January
2010, aged 82. John A Winterburn (38-46) died 1 February
2010, aged 82.
Maybe it was the emotion of hearing his dream come true – who knows. Michael returned after the concert to s’Hertogenbosch, where he had been scheduled to play a solo in the Ashokan Farewell on the 22 December. Sadly, I heard that he had been found dead of a sudden heart attack at his home that morning, and it was at his own funeral that his friends played for him that same haunting piece of music. Sue Hedworth (Michael Smith’s sister)
closest of friends ever since, each fulfilling reciprocal Best Man duties for the other. Edward Ian Lunn (34-39) died March 2010,
aged 85.
William A Gilchrist (43-51) died 23
December 2009, aged 75.
he lived. Life was often joyous for Michael, but never tranquil. He battled with bipolar disorder all his life, and never ever did things by halves, celebrating his 50th birthday with a 48-hour marathon walk through his beloved Cumbria. As someone who spent countless holidays ‘over the hills and far away’, he vowed to ‘give something back in gratitude for the spiritual inspiration which this district has given me including battling with a Force 11 gale near Styhead Tarn’. I quote here from the programme notes compiled by Michael himself for a concert just a week before his death, with Ryton Choral Society. He had set Wordsworth’s The Prelude as an oratorio, and was lucky enough to find a highly skilled musical director in David Murray to play a selection from the work.
Christopher Sibson (52-56) died in
Luxembourg on 22 January 2010, aged 69. His friend Keith Pickering (52-59) writes: He left the RGS when his family moved to Birmingham where he attended King Edwards’s School. We met up again as freshmen at Oxford in 1960 and remained the
John Farthing (50-59) died 1 March 2010,
aged 69. He was Honorary Secretary and later President of the ONA (92-94). He distinguished himself at school at rugby and athletics, and later, whilst living in Canada, had a trial for the Canada rugby team.
