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Written by Nigel Ventham Field's 1949
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Thursday, 11 January 2007 |
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It is with great sadness that we record the death of [[Robert Megarry|Sir Robert Megarry]], known as Ted in the Lancing community, who died on Wednesday October 11th 2006. Obituaries appeared in the Times and Telegraph recently which covered his very distinguished legal career but said little about him as a person and nothing of his long and outstanding association with Lancing.
He first came to Lancing as a new boy in Fields in 1924. The Register records that he passed his School Certificate in 1926, became a Prefect in 1928, was in the Rugby XV, the Fives IV and the Squash team in 1929, and went up to [[Trinity Hall Cambridge]] in the same year. Clearly an all round sportsman but no hint of the outstanding scholarship which was to come later in his life.
In 1962 he joined the Friends of Lancing Chapel Committee becoming its Chairman in 1975. He put his heart and soul into his work on this committee which seemed to be a focus for his love of music, especially organ music, and his great affection for Lancing. He had a firm but sensitive control of meetings, always taking people with him and giving minority views serious consideration. He had a great sense of humour and meetings were always very enjoyable though never losing sight of the task in hand. He had a natural gift for keeping the momentum going and harnessing people’s abilities and enthusiasm. During his chairmanship the Friends either initiated or supported many great works in the Chapel such as the building of the west end, the installation of the organs, the re-glazing and furnishing of the upper Chapel, the design and installation of the chandeliers in the nave and the completion of the crypt. Apart from raising huge sums of money for all this the Friends, under his leadership played an important role in the design and supervision of the work. On more than one occasion when the Treasurer, Tiger Halsey, reported that the Friends were in financial deficit he was seen to pass a cheque over to the Treasurer who would later announce that he must have made a mistake as they were not in deficit after all!
He also became President of the Lancing Club in 1975, retiring after 24 years in 1999. His contribution to the Club was in a very similar vein, supportive, encouraging, dedicated and his advice was always wise, concise and to the point holding strongly, as he did, to the belief that brevity is a virtue. As a distinguished scholar of the law it is not surprising that he set high standards of accuracy and grammar in the minutes of meetings. The Annual General Meetings were always conducted in a brisk and business-like way and speakers had to be the same or the guillotine was applied - a situation that, by all accounts, was not unfamiliar in his court.
As a person he very much epitomised the character of Lancing in his day unpretentious, tough, self-denying, generous and ascetic but with a discriminating taste for quality especially in fine wines. His generosity and knowledge of wines came together when he set up what is called the Megarry Bounty which provides the wine for the Common Room’s Christmas lunch each year. Indeed his generosity has also helped several hard-up students to complete their studies in the past.
It has been a constant inspiration that despite his great achievements in life he has always retained the common touch, preferring to adopt a low profile, avoiding praise and being embarrassed by gratitude.
He was a most extraordinary OL and his loss will be felt by the entire Lancing community.
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