Deaths
- John SHAW died on the 24th April 2023. John's funeral is at 11.30am on Tuesday 16 May 2023. Abbot Geoffrey will preside. Afterwards there will be refreshments in the Pavilion. Here is the link for the live-stream of John's funeral: https://youtube.com/live/Ze6gFQA14BY?feature=share
For those unable to be here for the funeral, John's coffin will be received into the Abbey Church at 3pm on Monday 15 May in a very short service.
Tributes to John:
"John played a huge part in helping establish OD cricket. Without his help we would never have functioned as a full time cricket side playing throughout the Summer.
The late Bryan Peers (39/41), a past President and cricket secretary of the Society also ran the Old Augustinian C.C. but because of lack of support the club folded and their fixture list was handed over to the Society. They were all away fixtures and though some of the venues were very pretty they were in the Deep South of Kent Surrey and Sussex.
John then offered the use of Douai whenever the First Eleven were away and in Sunday's during the months of July and August. This was an opportunity to "trim" the fixture list and play some of the other old boys sides such as Ampleforth, Downside, Stonyhurst, Prior Park, etc.
John and his staff worked hard to keep the pitch and ground in perfect condition and the standard of cricket definitely improved. His very successful 1970 side usually batted second and got the runs as did the old boys in some cricket weeks when chasing totals of around 200!
An indication of the conditions and standard of cricket.
In all, including cricket week, there was an average of 17 "home" fixtures! Thanks John Quid quid agunt homines..." (Aubrey BALHETCHET 47/54)
"I was greatly saddened to learn of John’s recent death . His arrival in 1968 heralded the advent of a new professional approach to sport at Douai . And goodbye to the gifted and not so gifted amateurs who between 2.00pm and 4.00pm swapped habits and gowns for baggy shorts and plimsols ( or not ) and barked incoherent instructions from the touch line and prayed for divine inspiration. He was a breath of fresh air. A connection to the state of the art . Most recently from “Boss” Meyer’s Millfield school whose visionary model placed sport at the very top table . And crickets pinnacle - the professional game at Middlesex and Somerset . The adjustment from Millfield to the traditions of Benedictine monastic life must have been a rude shock to him but with encouragement and comfort from the boys who’d all had to bridge that particular chasm, he took it in his stride . He was an astute observer and judge of character and a natural and gifted teacher. I’m quite sure I became a much better player thanks to him . His teams won much more often than not and life is fun when you’re winning. Life was also enormous fun whenever he was around. We were very fortunate to have been there during his time and we owe him and Angela a huge debt of gratitude for transforming our years at Douai."
"'I was at Douai 1972-77 and have wonderful memories of John’s tremendous support and inspiration. He gave me self-belief and confidence playing cricket for the 1st XI."
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