Tributes to Former Players and Officials. (F-G)
Extracts from Eton Fives Annual Reports.
J.W.Finnett - Chigwellian (EFA Report 1970-1971)
During the past year the death of J.W.Finnett has been announced. As master-in-charge of Fives at Queen Elizabet's School, Barnet, he revived the game there and brought it to its present pitch of enthusiasm.K. Gandar Dower - Harrovian (EFA Report 1986-1987)
Kenneth Gandar Dower, whose astonishing versatility ranged through most moving ball games to racing Cheetahs and big game hunting, was captain of Eton Fives at Cambridge, where he was a scholar, and in the Rugby Fives team for three years. According to a contemporary writer he had, when at his best, no superior at Eton Fives and, at Rugby Fives, was original and 'really good'. In one Varsity match an opponent was heard to remark 'I give up: it's no good playing against a Kangaroo!' The writer added 'As a doubles player he was less effective, as his partner could never quite know where he would be.' Gandar won the Kinnaird Cup twice with George McConnell and the amateur single championship at Rugby Fives once. (Roy McKelvie)T.R.Garnett, OAM - Carthusian (EFA Report 2006-2007)
Tommy Garnett, who has died at the age of 91, was Kinnaird champion with fellow Carthusian, A J Wreford-Brown in 1949. Both returned to Charterhouse to teach and both were mentors to the legendary May brothers, themselves Kinnaird winners in 1951, 52 and 53 and who were never defeated.
At Charterhouse, the Garnett family were represented over a period of fifty years, Tommy was regarded as being the most distinguished of the clan, winning numerous scholastic prizes and being a gifted athlete. He was captain of Fives and cricket and in 1933 he set a record for Charterhouse cricket with five centuries and an aggregate of over 1,000 runs. It is also recorded that no house could have had a better head.
At Cambridge, where he won a full scholarship in classics, he was captain of Fives, represented Somerset at cricket, and also played hockey and squash.
In 1936, he was appointed to Westminster School as an assistant master and he returned to Charterhouse in 1938 where he made his mark as a classics teacher.
The war saw him serve in India with the RAF Regiment and he was mentioned in dispatches. On returning to Charterhouse, he was effectively housemaster and he also took charge of the 60-acre school farm, believing very strongly in the benefit of contact with animals. He was considering whether to become a full-time farmer when he was appointed Master of Marlborough in 1952, where his headmastership was to be described as outstanding.
In 1961, he was appointed headmaster of Geelong Grammar School, one of Australia's oldest and illustrious schools. In 1965, Australian Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies, asked Tommy if he would be prepared to take Prince Charles for two terms. Tommy replied that he would be very pleased to do so, but that first he would need "to see the boy and interview the parents". It was recognised that under Garnetts' tutelage the visit transformed Prince Charles from boy to man.
In his retirement in Australia, to an old stone cottage, he and his wife cleared the waste ground by hand, to create one of Australia's most beautiful gardens, comprising an astonishing range of 3,000 native plant species. The garden was opened to the public -- an innovation in Australia. He became Gardening Editor of the newspaper, The Melbourne Age, for five years, introducing variety, scholarship and humour to Australian gardening. Later, he wrote a biweekly column "From the Country", a collection of which was published in 2001. He also wrote three other books on the subject. After a lifetime of passion for bird watching he was honary secretary of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union for a decade. He was also active in encouraging the state government to rejuvenate the historic Botanic Gardens in Victoria. In 1996, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to horticulture.
To his wife, three sons and two daughters, we offer our deepest sympathy.
Gordon Stringer (with acknowledgement to The Times, Daily Telegragh and Chaterhouse Archives).
B.J.Garrett - Citizen (EFA Report 1987-1988)
The Old Citizens Fives Club is saddened by the death of one of its greatest servants, 'B.J.'Garrett, whose contribution, to the Old Citizens and Fives in general, was unique. 'B.J.' with others, was responsible for the development of Fives fixtures with such schools as Shrewsbury, Repton, Uppingham, King Edward's Birmingham, Rydal, St. Bees and Marlborough, none of whom normally played London teams. With his car, at a time when few people had cars, and his love of driving and a pioneering spirit with the Old Citizens he helped to revive the game at the Lyceum Alpinum, Zuoz in Switzerland. This led to an annual personal invitation to the Old Citizens from Prince Fugger to play and stay at Wellenberg Castle near Augsburg. Later, the Old Citizens, captained by 'B.J.', formally opened the Old Zuozers' own court at Zurich.A very sound player, 'B.J.' was regularly in the Old Citizens 1st IV and was in turn Secretary, Captain and Chairman. He was in the first Old Citizen match after the war at Uppingham and played over a considerable period until very recently.
It was fitting that his service to the game was recognised by the Jesters Club, the M.C.C. of court games, who invited him to become the first Eton Fives player Honorary Member. (Old Citizen Gazette)
J A Gaywood - Cholmeleian (EFA Report 2000-2001)
Jack Gaywood was, for many years, Honorary Secretary of the Old Cholmeleian Fives Club, later President, a member of the EFA Committee and at one time the EFA's Honorary Auditor. He was also a Jester.
In 1927 Jack entered Highgate School and played in the Fives team in 1933. After wartime army service, he helped to re-establish Old Cholmeleian Fives and became Honorary Secretary in 1952, a position he held until 1965. He was a very enthusiastic, competent player, as was his regular partner, Jack D. Grimsdell. In later years he especially enjoyed the legendary 'old man's' match against the Old Citizens, when for several years he partnered Phil Hucks against Leslie Locke and Geoff Harris. Their combined ages totalled over 250 years and Jack is the last to die.
Jack was an exceedingly sociable man and other than from the Fives' world, had many friends from his banking, army, cricket, bowls and bridge-playing days. He was always very good value apres-Fives and would generally be loathe to vacate the bar until after the last visitor had left.
Diminutive in stature, Jack was a big man in heart and lived life to the full.
M.W.G.P./G.D.S.John Glover (nephew) writes:
The death of Jack Gaywood at the age of eighty-six, has brought to an end a productive twenty-six-year association with the village of Sway, to which he retired in 1974. He and his widowed sister, Honor, set up home together in Anderwood Drive, as a complete break from Surrey (for him) and North London (for her).
Jack, like his father before him, was a lifelong employee of the Midland Bank. Born and brought up in Woodside Park, North London, he attended Highgate School. Always a keen sportsman, for many years, he was the Secretary of Barnet Cricket Club. This interest was matched with that in Eton Fives. War saw him mostly in Europe and particularly in Italy, from which he developed a lasting dislike for the constantly available tomatoes and peaches.
After the war he returned to banking, but when the opportunity arose to become a Warden at the Midland Bank residential college at Oxted, Surrey, he jumped at it.
On arrival at Sway, both he and Honor became very active in the local community. Jack became a pillar of the Lymington Community Centre. He became a keen player for Lymington Bowling Club until shoulder problems forced him to retire. The house groaned under the (almost) complete set of Wisden, the cricketer's bible, and he supported Hampshire Cricket Club in their matches. His other interests included classical music, and he attended very many concerts. Bridge was also a passon, particularly in later years.
After Honor's death in 1997, Jack decided eventually to move to sheltered accommodation in Forest Oaks Residential Home at Brockenhurst. For some time he had been suffering a little from Parkinson's Disease, but suddenly this began to get the upper hand. By late January this year he was confined to bed, but still able to enjoy listening to his Beethoven CDs. However, Jack remained cheerful and cracking jokes until his infirmity eventually overcame him. To use his own expression, Jack finally 'popped off' on 8th February.
W.E. "Ebby" Gerrish, OBE - Westminster (EFA Report 1977-1978)
The Committee deeply regrets to record the death on June 7, 1978, in his eightieth year, of W.E. "Ebby" Gerrish, OBE."Ebby", as he was universally known, was distiguished in many fields - industrial, social, charitable and sporting. His first love among games was undoubtedly cricket, and Esher C C had the inestimable benefit of his all-round ability on the field and in the Committee Room, as he was Captain for sixteen years and President for 1978/79 - an honour which he sadly did not live to enjoy.
He was one of the most talented Westminster Fives players between the wars, and although he never attained the Kinnaird final he - often in company with the redoubtable T.G.Lund - was a very hard man to beat. He was also a lawn tennis and squash player of high quality, and the whole area of court games has lost an exponent of great skill and an administrator of wisdom and experience.
Constructed by Mike Fenn
18th May 2000
efa@etonfives.co.uk