Brother Edwin

Many of you who knew Brother Edwin will be sorry to hear that he died suddenly on Saint Luke's Day.

Edwin joined the community in the early sixties, on returning from several years teaching in Johannesburg in a school run by the Community of the Resurrection, (the Mirfield Fathers). Throughout his life he treasured the memory of those years and kept in touch with his friends there.

I first met him in 1966 when I joined the Community in Stroud, where we lived in a large mansion, owned by the local council, and situated in a public park. We were both teaching in Gloucester, and I used to drive him We had many interesting conversations on our way to school there about his time in South Africa, his hobbies particularly painting, and wild life, particularly birds and flowers. He was then teaching in Gloucester Tech, and Selwyn School.

His practical abilities could not be rated very highly I think he had been taken off cooking duties by then, but he was always an efficient and cheerful washer up. He was a good conversationalist and was most interesting when he spoke about English literature which was his specialist subject.

There were certain things which went into the annals of Edwin history. When he felt that the conversation was deteriorating he was known to jump to his feet, walk to the window saying, "look, there's a nuthatch!" He once claimed to have seen twelve Snow Geese flying over Oxford, but was persuaded by an ornithologist friend that this was not possible. On another occasion on returning home from Gloucester after dark, quite sober I assure you, he was convinced that he saw a large cat; I can't remember whether it was a leopard or what it was. However, he had the police, the R.S.P.C.A. and various other bodies investigating the phenomenon. The cat was never sighted again. Nor was he ever allowed to forget it. When he was teased about these things he usually took it in good part.

Edwin

Edwin eating Fish and Chips.

He always gave his full attention to
the task in hand

After Stroud he moved with some of the Community into the Lewes area and taught in Brighton. During those years he also became a Prison Visitor and was much valued by the prisoners and the prison Chaplains. He used to accompany the school Rugby team on tours abroad and go to help at youth events. We thought what a noble thing that was, but then discovered that he really enjoyed it.

Lewes was followed by a number of years living with the Brethren of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist in Westminster. There again, although by now retired from teaching, he was involved in Prison Visiting at Eltham Young Offenders Centre. Once more, his work was highly valued by the chaplains, and he inspired, not just the boys, but his colleagues.

Wherever he went, Edwin made friends, and he kept up a correspondence with a large number of people, visiting them when he could, but above all praying for them.

For many years he used to accompany the Sisters on their camping holidays in France. During those holidays he enjoyed his painting, which was a life long hobby. Several of these paintings are hanging on the walls of Prasada, and I believe there are others around the South of France. During his final years, spent back with the Community in Devon, he became a regular visitor to Prasada. He spent two or three weeks with us, twice a year. We were looking forward to his next visit which was to have been next week. We had begun to make plans for his visit, and it is hard to believe that he will not be with us after all. He will be greatly missed by his many friends and relations and will be remembered with affection by a large number of the people he met here at Prasada.

© The Community of the Glorious Ascension, Prasada
Part of the Anglican Diocese in Europe
Page created October 2005