In Memoriam

Dr Malcolm Harrop (J & DC 45-54)

Malcolm was the eldest son of Ted Harrop, member of Common Room 1944-1970, Housemaster of James House and one-time O.R. Secretary. Mal won a scholarship from JS and was in Dragon-Crescent House. He was in the School Choir, the 1st XI Ross hockey, 2nd XV Rugby, and was active in school drama. He was one of three CCF cadets to represent the school at the Queen’s Coronation in 1953 stationed in the Mall.

He left in summer 1954, having won a place at Pembroke, Cambridge to read History. Mal did his National Service in the RAF, becoming fluent in Russian at the Joint Services School of Languages, learning wireless operations at RAF Wythall and then spent the rest of his time at RAF Habbaniyah in Iraq. After leaving Cambridge he was briefly a graduate trainee in retailing before moving to Pilkington’s Glass. He was sent by Pilkington’s to Australia where he remained for the rest of his life. Pilkington’s, Australia, was absorbed by ACI, Australian Consolidated Industries, and Malcolm became their Public Relations Officer. He then set up his own company, PR Link, but kept the ACI franchise. He ran the Monsalvat Jazz Festival for several years and the Melbourne Jazz Festival. He also staged the Australian Open Squash Championships in Melbourne and received the Order of Australia for services to conservation, sport, jazz and education. The award honoured his work as co-chairman of the International Public Relations Association world task force on the environment and his authorship of the “Code of Nairobi” which is a guide to communicating on environmental and sustainable development. He encouraged and promoted females in sport and received a Prime Ministerial Women and Sports award in 1994. Mal retired from PR Link at the age of 70 and then decided to embark on a doctorate at La Trobe University. He submitted his thesis on the history of glass making in Australia and received his doctorate at the age of 75. His thesis was then published as “Good things come from glass” and the book was runner up in an economic history prize in Australia. With time now on his hands Mal realised that the elders in his community needed some stimulation and he was the moving spirit in setting up the Eltham/ Nillimbook U3A. Until recently he was tutoring on the History of Jazz, a passionate interest. Mal married Valerie Hawkins whom he met while working in Liverpool. They were married in Rossall School Chapel by Canon CE Young, his former Headmaster.

Sadly he died in Melbourne on Saturday, 16th March after a brave fight with Parkinson’s at the age of 83. Mal is survived by Val and their two daughters, Jacquie, a lawyer and Pippa, an interior designer and two granddaughters, Lily and Ruby. Just before he died, Mal had a visit from his brother John Harrop (JS & DC 48-58). He greatly enjoyed the visit and was “on good form”. John is the author of this piece. Floreat Rossallia!

Charles Ainsworth (DC 52-54) Clive Ian Bruce (M 54-60) Revd Graham Canham (DC 1973-93, CR) Michael Cliffe (Dr 38-42) James Eardley (R 36-39) Peter S Fallon (PP, JS &A 57-67) Major Ian Skene Gibb (SE 40-47) Barry Howard (35-43) John Hughes (DC 47-49) John Knowles (J & DC 51-61) Robert (Bob) William Lavender (SE 47-51) Charles Ewan Mander (DC 53-56) David Morrey (J & M 50-57) C.A.J. (Tony) Patrickson (J & DC 55-63) Arthur Edwin Sealy Lett (A 45-48) Michael Kingsley Smith (MC 43-47) Brian Wolstenholme (DC 39-46)

Journalist, printer, publisher, community player and accomplished sportsman. Born on 17th June 1929, Sam was educated at Rossall School and often recounted great memories of his time in Maltese Cross and his house master Bob Nevett.

Sam (Rupert Joseph Lucas) Eccleston, died on 6th April 2019 aged 89 and was a celebrated contributor to communities, both at home and abroad. Sam will be greatly missed by family and many friends from the sporting, Rossall, Rotarian and business circles. Sam excelled at Latin, English and Sport and followed his education with military service in Egypt before returning to manage the family business in 1952. The local newspaper “Whitchurch Herald” was an Eccleston family legacy established in 1869, a paper launched ahead of its national counterparts such as The Sunday Telegraph and The Daily Mail. Sam continued to develop the well-loved news sheet and under his guidance, the newspaper’s influence and its general printing and commercial stationery business, steadily progressed; at one time a separate Wem and Ellesmere editions of the Herald were produced. Today, the newspaper is owned by Newsquest (North Wales) Media Group. Sam thrived on people and held an extraordinary sense of responsibility towards the community. From a young man, Sam has played a significant part in the Whitchurch Shropshire branch of the Rotary Club, working on many local and international initiatives and had been commended for his 65 years of support, a length of service unlikely to be achieved easily by others. Sam was an active member and trustee of several other clubs and associations, a Whitchurch Freemason, Whitchurch Cricket Club member and was an exuberant and skilled sportsman. Sam devoted over two decades to coaching children, teens and adults and passing his love of sports onto the next generation of players. A passionate rugby player, Sam was President of Whitchurch Rugby Club for 20 years, from 1972 to 1992, and assisted in raising funds to create a larger, functional clubhouse in line with the Club’s growing success. Sam wrote and published The History of Whitchurch Rugby Club depicting the club’s history since its inception. Sam married local girl Margaret Vera Henri on 5th June 1954 and they would have celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in this summer. The couple had four children together and Sam is survived by his wife Margaret, son Andrew Eccleston (Maltese Cross 1974-78) and daughters Jan Wynn and Sarah Gothard, His second daughter, Lynne Downes, sadly died at the early age 37 years. The family enjoy ten grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Sam could often be seen behind his beloved daily edition of The Daily Telegraph and was proud of his local town. Friends and family will remember Sam for his appreciative and caring nature, sense of humour and fun, intelligent turn of phrase, empathy and a commitment to sport and to the community around him.

Maltese Cross ‘House Room’ Monitors, 1947. Sam Eccleston: second from the left, back row.