Univ Record 2018

JAMES BASIL DAMER (Stationer’s Company’s School) died on 29 August 2017 shortly
before his 90th birthday. He read PPE at Univ. News of Basil Damer’s death came as
the Record was going to press, and we hope to include a fuller tribute in next year’s issue.
JOHN VERRIER JONES (Wellington GS) died on 31 August 2017 aged 86. He
read Medicine at Univ. He became a Flight Lieutenant in the RAF, and went on
the Karakorum expedition in 1961 with the RAF. In 1969 he became a Lecturer in
Medicine at Bristol University, and a Consultant Physician at Southmead Hospital there.
In 1976, however, he moved to the USA to become Professor of Medicine, Professor of
Immunology and Director of the section of Rheumatology at the Rush-Presbyterian-St
Luke’s Medical Centre, Chicago. In 1982 he moved to Nova Scotia to become the Head
of the Rheumatology Division in the Department of Medicine at Dalhousie University.
On his retirement in 1994, he returned to England and settled in Bristol.
PETER GEOFFREY HEMSLEY LONGRIGG (Sherborne) died on 10 May 2015 aged 87.
He read English at Univ, but left after one year. He later emigrated to Australia.
GORDON ELLIOT MYERS CMG (Kilburn Grammar
School) died on 8 November 2017, aged 88. His son
Andrew (1982) has kindly supplied the following
obituary:
Univ awarded Gordon their major open scholarship,
and he went on to achieve a First Class honours degree
in History, enjoying lectures from the likes of A.J.P.
Taylor and V.H. Galbraith.
Today the College rightly makes great efforts to
attract and recruit those from schools and families
unused to sending their brightest to Oxbridge. Gordon
was an example of this happening even in 1948.
After graduation, Gordon entered the Ministry
of Agriculture and Fisheries. His postings were
often fascinating, challenging and rewarding. They
included responsibility for Fisheries, during the first “cod war” with Iceland and trade
talks in Australia and New Zealand in 1961. Gordon was deeply involved in the first,
unsuccessful, negotiations for entry into the Common Market in 1962, and the third,
finally successful, attempt in 1972.
It was the Common Market that led to his marriage to Wendy Lambert when both
were involved in that first negotiation for entry. Their two sons, daughter and seven
grandchildren represent some of the many unsung benefits bestowed by the EU.
Gordon was seconded to the Foreign Office from 1975-9 with responsibility for
agricultural and food issues in the UK Permanent Representation in Brussels. There,
he found the challenge of safeguarding and promoting British interests in pursuit of
common policies with other member states a stimulating, instructive and ultimately
productive experience. He was awarded a CMG in 1979 for services to Europe.
On returning from Brussels, Gordon headed the Food Policy Group, where he helped
negotiate fairer access within the Community for Scotch whisky and English cider,
and secure preferential terms of access for Commonwealth Caribbean bananas. One of
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