Spring Martlet 2017

WILLIAM
JOHN
COONEY
(1942) (St. Dunstan’s) died
in December 2015. He read
Modern Languages at Univ. He
served in the RAF during the
Second World War, and on
getting his degree he taught
languages at Farlingaye High
School in Suffolk, for 25 years.
He was a keen sailor, but
also took a great interest in
drama, both taking part in local
theatricals himself, and regularly
going to London and Stratford.
He was a keen cook, and
loved jazz, and all things French.
He is survived by his three
sons, Stephen, Andrew and
Patrick, who kindly supplied
information for this tribute.
FRANCIS (FRANK) JOSEPH BARNETT
(1948) (St. Bede’s College, Christchurch, and Canterbury University) died on 5 August 2016 aged 93.
He read Modern Languages at Univ, getting a First in his Finals, and in 1951–2 was a Lecturer in Modern
Languages here. In 1952, however, he moved up to the Broad when was elected to a Fellowship at Trinity
College, where he remained until his retirement in 1986. Although he specialised in teaching French,
Frank became fl uent in at least fi ve modern languages, including Romanian, but also researched and
published on late Latin and medieval French. On retirement he and his wife Elizabeth returned to live in
New Zealand, but regularly returned to Oxford.
DAVID ALAN CAMPBELL
(1949) (Jarrow GS) died on 22 March 2016 shortly before
his 86th birthday. He read PPE at Univ, but was also a keen
member of Univ Players, taking part in a production of
Karel Capek’s The Insect Play. After Oxford he trained as an
accountant and lived in Cambridge for 65 years, working fi rst
for Cambridge City Council and latterly the Anglian Water
Authority. He took early retirement in the late 1980s and
enjoyed a long and happy retirement. He loved crosswords,
music and languages. [We are grateful to his son John for
proving information for this tribute].
1950s
JEFFREY STANSFIELD HOWLES
(1950) (Royal Grammar
School, Newcastle) died
on 6 September 2016
aged 86. He read PPE at
Univ but his great passion
was rowing. He was stroke
of the 1953 Blue Boat,
the Univ 1952 and 1953
summer 1st VIII’s (each
made 4 bumps) and of
the 1953 Univ IV (which
won the OUBC IV’s).
Following graduation he
moved to Canada as an
oil industry economist
before emigrating to
California and joining
the Bank of America. He
subsequently returned
to London, where for 16
years he held senior positions in international banking covering the
UK, Europe and Africa. He then started a new career in Executive
Search, from which he retired in 1985. In his later years he lived
happily in Herefordshire with his second wife, Lisbet, who died in
2008. He is survived by his two sons Geoff (Univ, 1973) and Chris.
His daughter, Pandora, died in 2009. [This obituary was kindly
supplied by his son Geoff].
ALLAN PHILLIPS GRIFFITHS
(1951) (University College of South Wales) died on 1
December 2014 aged 87. Allan, known to friends and
colleagues, as ‘Griff’ came up to Univ as a postgraduate and
read for a BPhil. In 1964 he was appointed Professor of
Philosophy at the newly founded University of Warwick, and
remained there until his retirement in 1992. Allan was also
Warwick’s fi rst University Orator, from 1970–7 he served
as Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the university. Outside Warwick,
he was Director of the Royal Institute of Philosophy from
1979–94. Allan was a keen musician, but also enjoyed playing
poker, and collecting snuffboxes and antique clocks.
THE MARTLET | SPRING 2017 37