Obituaries Captain Frank Simm RN (36-43) Born 20 June 1925, died 30 November 2017, aged 92
Arthur Ronald Jowett (48-54) Born 12 July 1937, died 23 December 2017, aged 80
Frank attended RGS from 1936 to 1943. The education he received during that time stood him in good stead and although he pursued a career orientated towards science, maths and engineering, he also developed an abiding love of music, literature and poetry from his school days. After leaving school, Frank went on to study Electrical Engineering at St John’s College, Cambridge and after completing an accelerated degree, joined the Royal Navy in 1945. For a clever, ambitious and adventurous young man, this proved a perfect career choice and the next 30 years proved the opportunity to explore the world and visit places he would never forget. A total of three years was spent aboard naval warships (HMS Defender and HMS London – late 50s and early 60s) sailing literally around the world and other postings included many happy years in Bath, time in a nuclear submarine, the joint armed forces establishment at RAF Medmenham and finally, command of HMS Vulcan situated on the north coast of Scotland at Thurso.
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Having retired from the Royal Navy in 1977, the next eight years were spent living in Hampshire and working with ex-naval colleagues at Marconi Underwater Systems (part of BAE) and after retiring from work completely, the rest of Frank’s life was spent in that part of the world. He was, however, always keen to re-engage with his Northumbrian roots and in 2002 bought a small property in Morpeth, which he would visit as often as possible. Sitting on the terrace overlooking the River Wansbeck was one of his life’s great pleasures. Throughout his life, Frank pursued excellence not only in his work life but also in the sports he so enjoyed. He ran for both the school and the Royal Navy, he played squash to a very high standard, he climbed (and ran) up and down mountains and in older age, cycled and hiked. He was married twice, to Ann (died 1997) and Celia (died 2012). He had one daughter Jane, and three grandsons for whom he was a huge inspiration.
I was sorry to hear of the death of Arthur Jowett (48-54), especially as, though not many people will be aware of it, the ONA is considerably indebted to him. Since the early 70s, when the Association was, frankly, in the doldrums, Arthur came forward and volunteered his services as Honorary Secretary – a post, shall we say, which was not greatly sought after. It was really an impossible job for one man, especially one gainfully employed, but Alister Cox (72-94), who had arrived a year or two earlier, saw how the land lay, and worked with Arthur and myself and one or two others to put things to rights. He saw that a full-time Secretary was needed, and pursuaded MG Robinson (34-72), Head of English, who was near retirement, to take on the job at the school with proper secretarial help. MG Robinson started up the magazine, known originally as The Novocastrian News to replace the rather outdated newsletter which had constituted the only previous organ of communication. ONs gladly sent him their articles and items. Arthur stayed on as Secretary, North East Affairs (while MG Robinson was General Secretary) but he had stepped into the breach just in time. He stayed in that capacity until 1983 and was President in 1983-84. Something of an eccentric, he ran a number of small businesses – insurance consultancy, printing, driving school and others. He regularly attended the ON lunches when he would relate the details of whatever controversy he was currently involved in. He was one of a kind.
By Jane Mills (née Simm)
By Bryan Stevens (44-49)
ONA – Old Novocastrians Association Magazine Summer 2018
