(SH 1960 - 1965)
We have just been notified of the sad news that OW Martin Bishop died on December 7th 2020. He was aged 73 and had an acute heart Attack.
Martin’s wife, Kathryn, writes “I know Martin spoke fondly always of his years spent at Wycliffe and once took me, his late wife around the beautiful college when visiting in the area.”
Martin left Wycliffe in 1965. His Old Order Changeth from Wycliffe Star 1965 reads:
BISHOP, MARTIN (S.H. 1960-65). Form—Low. VI Sci. Offices—Libr.
Comm. Sports—1st XV (| Col.), 2nd XI (Capt. and Col.), 2nd VIII
Cross-Country. Member—Lit. Soc, Science, Art, Choral, A.T.C.,
Campan., Woodwork, Clio. Prizes—Duke of Edin. Silver Award.
We send our deepest condolences to his family and those who knew him well.
We have received the messages of condolence from:
John Mayell – Sorry to read about Martin’s passing. He came with us to do our DOE Gold hike in the Lakes in Easter Hols in 1965. 50 miles in 3 1/2 days camping in the pouring rain and I found all the campsites when working up there 12 years ago. I did have a log of the ordeal which I could try and find, but I do remember after Mr Parry and Mr Saxon cooking us an all day breakfast and then letting us go to the Cinema to watch Zulu. Every time a soldier shot a Zulu, Martin shouted out ”Good shot man” and was thrown out by the manager for breach of the peace.
John Edward Cox – I recall him with warmth, given many distant but happy memories.
John Branch writes – Martin was a good chum of mine during the 5 years we shared in School House. A generally all-round good egg, to my mind.
We seemed to end up in the same cricket and rugby teams quite often; he would possibly admit that that I was the better cricketer, but I would have to concede that he was a (slightly) better rugby player.
He told me that his father was a Man of the Cloth (Bishop Bishop?). Looking at some old team photos now, I note that he indeed had a touch of the choirboy about his appearance in those days. However, he also demonstrated a number of attributes perhaps not always found in people from that walk of life, always seemingly up for an adventure.
We both enjoyed a smoke and a beer when circumstances permitted. Martin showed me how an empty tin of Strepsil cough sweets could be re-purposed, it being of exactly the right size to hold a cigarette rolling machine, papers, matches, and half an ounce of Old Holborn or St Bruno. Thus hidden in plain sight, our smoking requisites invariably evaded the periodic searches for contraband that were carried out in the dorms.
In those days, the school provided a supply of senior boys to read the Lessons during Sunday Evensong at a little local church – possibly the one at Eastington. Martin – being Martin – spotted an opportunity and volunteered himself (and me) for this duty. Most volunteers weren’t very keen to repeat what was a bit of a chore, but every Sunday evening in our last summer term, halos polished, we wandered off out of the school, along the canal and over the fields to do our bit for the parish – Strepsil tins in our coat pockets. Happy days.
RWJB Jan 2021
John Faulkner and James Dash both send their condolences to the family also.
