ALAN BONNER (Ridgeway 1951-55)

Born 1st December 1937

(Image above of Alan Bonner OMRFC - front row, second from left)

It is with profound sorrow that we have to inform you of the death of Alan Bonner on Saturday, 9th September. He was a great Old Millhillian. He had been ill for sometime, but the OMs who went to see him stated that he still had his old spirit despite being in considerable pain. This has not been a good year for the Oakers with the deaths of three Alans, Vincent, Toulson and Bonner and Andy Mortimer.

Alan Bonner came to Mill Hill from St Paul’s Choir School, where he was a leading chorister. He had a very good treble voice and sang many solos in The School Chapel until his voice broke.

He played rugby and cricket at School, alternating between the 2nd and 3rd teams. When he left Mill Hill, he joined the OM Rugby and Cricket Clubs. He was also a good Mathematician at School and he subsequently trained & qualified as an Actuary, studying mainly at evening classes. 

He played several years in The OM First XV in the late 50s and early 60s, which at that time had a first class fixture list and sometimes beat the Saracens, Wasps, London Irish and Northampton. The team also included two England players ,the ex-captain of the Oxford University XV and a number of players representing Middlesex and Herts. He was awarded a Presentation Cap in 1961/2. 

Gerry Westoby recalls first meeting Alan on the rugby pitch back in 1962, when he managed to squeeze into the OMs 1st XV as a centre three-quarter. Alan, who played on the right wing, was speedy but had a somewhat unique style. He seldom passed the ball, which was frustrating, but hey-ho, it was only a game!

He eventually became a partner at Greenwells, a large firm of stockbrokers, which was bought out by one of the big banks in the financial boom of the late eighties. Alan had travelled a great deal and when the firm was bought, he decided to retire and devoted his time to investing his proceeds of the sale in smaller companies and pursuing a number of hobbies. 

Alan was a Mill Hill School Governor and his somewhat forthright questions to the main guest, usually the Head, at the East Anglian (Cambridge) Dinners were a legend. He took great delight in asking rather difficult questions of the respective Heads of School. He was also a Liveryman of The Company of Actuaries and served as Master of The OM Liverymens’ Association a few years ago. He was a bon viveur, enjoyed horse-racing and was also a churchgoer.

He was a very practical person and happily renovated two houses, the second being Widdington Hall, where he lived for many years. Those of you who received Christmas cards from Alan, should realise that he had a talent for art. His paintings were either surrealism or cubism or just Bonnerism. He had a joint exhibition in Giverny, north-west of Paris, which is Monet country. He held several exhibitions in Cannes, where he had a flat. He was also a great collector, buying mainly at auction, particularly old books which he skilfully rebound to match the original bindings.

Alan’s first wife, Clare, died in 1998 and they had two children, Lucy and Henry both of whom went to Mill Hill School.  He later married Aveen, who he met in Dublin, who very kindly helped in compiling this memoir. 

Gerry recalls the last time he spoke to Alan on the phone, "he wanted to know whether I was interested in wild swimming" … what a joker!

Gerry Westoby (Ridgeway 1956-61) and Stuart Hibberdine (Scrutton 1950-55)