We were saddened to learn of the death of Old Viking John Bartholomew (69B) just before Christmas last year.
Thank you to John Smith (69B) for providing us with some memories of his classmate and friend.
“John Bartholomew was a friend I had at school. I met him on the very first day in the Great Hall of Shiplake Court. We were there for an afternoon tea for new boys and their parents to meet the teachers and others in Burr House. This was September 1965; I’d just travelled back from holiday in Italy by car through a blizzard over the Simplon Pass (no tunnel then). The number one sound of the day was “IL Silencio” by Nino Rosso.
Our parents departed, we had arrived at College a day before the rest of the pupils, and so although there were one or two others around, College seemed a lonely place as I tried to get my bearings. We were then shown to our dormitories, the majority were in one room and I was in the next room which was full of beds but no-one else until in walked John Bartholomew. We spent the next four years together in dorms, classes, sports teams, CCF, expeditions, trips, Duke of Edinburgh’s in the Lake District and on the river in our canoes (his had HELP painted on the underside and when we asked why he just said “In case I capsize”, as if, he was too good a boatman for that).
Throughout our time at Shiplake we didn't live in each other’s pockets, but we always talked, listened to music or played cards during prep or quiet periods on Sunday mornings. There was a group of us that stuck together from that time. We still do.
The picture above is taken from his order of service and it’s how I like to remember John. To me he was a kind and gentle person and whilst I hadn't seen John for over 50 years, he was always a friend and I miss him.”
John died on 18 December 2021. Our sincere condolences go out to his family and friends.
