Obituaries Paul Thompson StB’72 - Jacquie Thompson John Ford B’82 - Tom Ford B’87

Paul Hungerford Thompson StB’72

26th March 1954 – 10th August 2021

Paul will be remembered by family, friends and colleagues alike for his sparkling wit, acuity of mind and kindness.

He spent his early years in the Surrey Hills. After Ladycross Preparatory School in Seaford, he continued to Worth in 1967, leaving in 1972. During his time there he experienced a taste of monastic life along with four other Worthians, by stepping into the shoes of Benedictine monks for a week. In his last year he played the part of Messerschman in a production of Jean Anouilh’s play Ring around the Moon.

Before starting a Law degree at Liverpool University in 1973, Paul travelled overland in an old army truck with others to Iran, Pakistan, India and Nepal; an experience that always remained with him. Having initially qualified as a planning barrister, Paul became a partner and ‘Roll A’ Parliamentary Agent at Bircham Dyson Bell in 1982 which he merged with Bircham & Co in 1990, now part of BDB Pitmans LLP. He retired in 2015. His practice involved promoting private bills in the UK Parliament as well as advising on parliamentary and legislative matters. Latterly, as private legislation fell away, he spent most of his time on major infrastructure projects, such as transport public enquiries for Manchester Metrolink and others.

Highlights of his career included helping establish a Euro and UK lobbying practice for his firm and leading the way on the Transport Works Order work and Development Consent Order work which eventually replaced Private Bills.

He was passionate about the Law and the impact his work had on society. A major client on hearing of Paul’s death remarked “he changed my view of what law can be used for… he left me with a much better understanding of what can be achieved by a few good people”.

Having endured and recovered from head and neck cancer a few years ago, he was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2020, which he bore with great courage. He died peacefully at home surrounded by his family.

He was married to Jacquie for forty-two years, has two sons and three grandchildren.

The Thompson Family

John Ford B’82

3rd January 1964 – 17th April 2021

John died on Saturday 17th April 2021 aged just 57 after a valiant battle with Motor Neurone Disease. John was the second child of Mike and Judy Ford, the elder brother to Tom B’87 and Ben B’91 and brother to Frances (Fran) and Rebecca (Beccy).

John was a big character, kind and generous. As a starryeyed younger brother arriving at Worth in September 1982 (John stayed on for the autumn term to take his Oxbridge entrance exam), I have memories of him at the top of the School (Butler Head of House), smoke billowing from the 6th Form Smoking Room, dances with (or against?) Woldingham School, 1st XV rugby matches and later that year John travelling to Lourdes with the OMV. Oxbridge didn’t work out and later the next year John started at Bristol University to read English.

On graduating in 1986 John joined Schroders in London; moving to Singapore in 1989; setting up a joint venture for Schroders in Malaysia in 1992, then moved back to Singapore. In 1996 John married Teresa in Singapore with a blessing of the marriage back in the UK in Cornwall in May with Fr Kevin officiating. They now have 3 children. In 2000 John moved to New York and then onto Hong Kong in 2003.

After 19 successful years with Schroders, John spent the next 12 years with Fidelity in the Asia Pacific region before finally moving back to London in 2016. In 2018 John retired from Fidelity and after a sabbatical he had started to take on some non-executive roles before receiving his MND diagnosis in Spring 2020.

Throughout his life John made sound friendships and lived life to the full. He had a wicked sense of humour, a wonderful joie de vivre, enjoyed sharing and drinking his wine collection with friends, sailing and skiing whenever he could. Despite John’s hugely successful career, he always made time for his family and friends. On his return to London in 2016 John enjoyed reconnecting with old friends. He bought a house in Porth Navas on the Helford River in Cornwall, close to his mother and eldest sister Fran.

Once he received his diagnosis and Covid lockdowns were in force, John spent his last days enjoying his beloved home with its view over the Helford River and, while he was able to, bracing Cornish walks with his family and visiting friends. A heartfelt thank you from his family to the extraordinary care and support in very difficult times from the Motor Neurone Disease Association and Marie Curie and all the kind words and sympathies from all quarters that we have received over the last months. Both my sister Fran and her family and my children have done some fundraising for the MND Association in memory of John – if anyone would like to make a gift in John’s memory you can do so at www.mndassociation.org/get-involved/donations/

Tom Ford B’87