University College Oxford Record 2020

such as nuclear disarmament and women priests.
He was most content helping ordinary people
with the practical problems of life.
Meanwhile the crossword puzzles kept
coming, about once a fortnight, until the last in
2014. In 2012, when asked what characterised a
successful clue, he replied: “One that entertains –
perhaps even gets a laugh.”
Philippa died in 2019. He is survived by their
children, Susanna, Nicholas and Paul, and by
eight grandchildren.
1952:
JAMES BRUXNER CBE
(Eton) died peacefully after a short illness on 21
January 2020 aged 87. His grandfather Henry, his
father George, and his older brothers Christopher
and David all came up to Univ in 1866, 1919,
1947 and 1949 respectively. James’s son Tom has
kindly written this obituary:
James Bruxner was born in Datchet, the
youngest of three brothers whose father was
then deputy music master at Eton College. After
his parents separated in 1939, James grew up with
his mother. He went away to prep school, but
in 1946 returned to Eton. There he particularly
liked rowing, but also joined the Choral Society,
was “Keeper” of the pottery schools and was a
founder member of the Model Railway Society.
In 1951, James was called up to do National
Service. He was selected for officer training and
posted to Germany. He then followed his father,
grandfather and brothers to Univ where he read
History. Rowing remained a passion: he made the
Isis crew in 1953 and was part of the successful
Univ VIII that bumped four crews and went on to
the semi-final of the Ladies Plate at Henley. His
decorated oar hung in his hallway for the rest of
his life! He also excavated a Roman grave as a
member of the Archaeological Society and joined
the “Shaker” dining club. He made many enduring
friendships at Oxford.
After Oxford, James briefly worked for a
stockbroker, then switched to advertising. He
joined the Territorial Army, rising to the rank of
Major. He also volunteered as a prison visitor and
was assigned among others the spy George Blake.
In 1960, James joined the Mather and
Crowther advertising agency, but after ten years
moved to work on marketing for Guinness. He
was soon head-hunted to become Managing
Director of Gilbeys’ Gin. When he arrived, he was
warned that he would have to share a secretary
with the Chairman. This turned out to be better
news than expected: two years later, he and Carol
Romer-Lee were married and enjoyed, in James’
own words, “the most blessed marriage a man
ever had”.
Then in 1973, the Chairman of J&B asked
James to replace its departing Managing Director.
There he remained for 22 years, first as MD,
and then as Chairman. During that period the
company sold over a billion bottles of J&B, won
the Queen’s Award for Export Achievement a
record six times and became the second bestselling
brand of Scotch Whisky in the world.
Many of his colleagues remember him as a
true example of a gentleman, combining dignity,
humanity and fairness with the determination
and brainpower to make a global success of
the business. Unsurprisingly James also served
as Chairman of the Scotch Whisky Association.
In 1996, he was made a CBE for services to
Scotch Whisky.
Throughout his working life, James was
primarily a family man. Having made his home in
a north Hertfordshire village, he took an active
role in parish activities, from the local produce
68 University College Record | October 2020