Alan Tidbury (OW 1957)

MCS was informed that Alan had passed away on 24 August 2010.

Alan was a boarder at Magdalen College School. In February 1960, he completed two years’ National Service with the Royal Artillery based at Larkhill after which he became a trainee Quantity Surveyor with the London County Council.

He married Carolin Russell in 1965, having met when they where both playing hockey at the Thanet Hockey Festival in 1962: Alan for Oxford Hawks and Carolin for Shell. They have a son Adam and a daughter Emma, and four Grandchildren. He was delighted when Adam obtained a place at MCS in 1982.

As a Chartered Quantity Surveyor Alan worked for the Greater London Council and finally with the Inner London Education Authority until it was abolished in 1989. He and Carolin then set up Oxford Conferences, organising seminars for corporate bodies and leading tours for small groups of foreign visitors to England.

Alan loved travelling both in UK and overseas, and was in his element when involved in driving small lorries and being a passenger in large trucks for Ridgeway Transport, a local company specialising in moving ordnance across the UK and the continent.

His voluntary work included driving the Wallingford-based Elizabeth Coach for the disabled, a task he was still performing up until his untimely death. He was heavily involved in providing technical and regulatory expertise to the Wallingford Corn Exchange Theatre and served as House Manager Co-ordinator for more than 15 years.

Alan’s interest in cricket and hockey continued after leaving MCS and although he stopped playing hockey in his 20s, he regularly met up with past Oxford Hawks members socially. He played cricket for Whitchurch Cricket Club until his early 60s and was the match secretary for 25 years. He loved walking and maintained his links with a walking group formed at the GLC which met on a two-monthly basis.

Throughout his adult life Alan was a staunch supporter of the school and the Old Waynflete Club. He will be sadly missed by his family and friends.

Obituary written by his wife, Carolin Tidbury