Don Lovell remembered at the BRLSI

Former BRLSI Chair of Trustees Nancy Catchpole OBE speaking at the celebration of
the life of Don Lovell.

Bill Lovell reading his father's account of his life

Sunday July 5th: Don Lovell was one of the founders of the modern BRLSI in the early 1990s, and remained an active and committed member, still putting forward new ideas for its development, until his death on June 23rd at the age of 86. The commemorative event at the BRLSI, organised by Don's children Bill and Christine and their families, was what Don had wanted - a celebration of his life rather than a mourning. Family, friends and BRLSI colleagues filled the Elwin Room on a sunny July afternoon to share their memories of him.

In typically no-nonsense fashion Don had written his own summary of his life, which was read by his son Bill. It told of his childhood in South London, his trips as a young man to (among other places) the Himalayas, and his return to London and work at the gas works on the site of what's now the O2 Dome, and later as a design engineer where he developed expertise in the cutting-edge technology of carbon fibre, editing the Carbon Fibre Review for a number of years. Then there was the move to Bath, the sad death of his wife Ursula, and his involvement in the BRLSI, the Widcombe Association and other organisations.

Don's children added their own memories, of a father whose quiet demeanour hid a fierce intelligence, who introduced them to the joys of Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons books, and who hid the difficulties he and their mother faced during her illness with typical stoicism. This being the Elwin Room there was, of course, a PowerPoint presentation - a slideshow of photographs of Don's life, from childhood (and some very snazzy costumes) through to his later years in Bath. A keen photographer and adopter of new technology, Don would no doubt have approved of 80+ year old pictures being preserved in digital form and displayed from a laptop computer.

Former BRLSI Trustee Andy Pepperdine

A roll-call of the Great and Good of the modern BRLSI took turns to remember Don, including Chair of Trustees Prof Julian Vincent (above), former Chair Nancy Catchpole OBE and former Trustee and Chair of Management Andy Pepperdine. Former Secretary of Trustees John Coates also spoke, as did Herschel Astronomy Group Convenor Dick Phillips, World Affairs Group co-convenor Geoff Catchpole and Darwin and Beyond Programme Manager Martin Sturge (who also helped to co-ordinate the celebration).

Like Don's family they remembered a quiet but effective intellect, at a time when BRLSI committees were often dominated by more vocal ones, and Don's ceaseless flow of ideas, including controversial ones such as selling off 16 Queen Square and moving to purpose-built accommodation in a new city centre development. Not all found favour, but all were the result of a genuine commitment to the success of the Institution.

BRLSI Trustee Marie-Louise Luxemburg remembered Don as editor of the BRLSI's annual volume of Proceedings, a role which he helped and encouraged her to take over. Don founded the Transport Group at BRLSI, and was editor of the BRLSI newsletter and a key figure in the setting-up of this website. He was also a generous donor, always ready to help with funds to get new ideas, such as his Adopt a Book scheme, off the ground.

 

BRLSI Trustee Dr Evelyn Lewis, who now runs the Adopt a Book
scheme that Don Lovell founded, signs the attendees book.

 

Although anything but technophobic, Don came from an era before camcorders and blogs, when keeping a diary meant just that. His grand-daughter, Ruth Lovell (right), read an extract from his Himalayas Diary, written in 1946. An intrepid (and gripping) tale of high altitudes, long treks and stoicism in the face of non-existent plumbing, it could have come straight from the pen of Arthur Ransome.

There were also tributes from Mayveen Blackwell of The Widcombe Association, who recalled Don's tireless efforts to get the Widcombe one-way system removed, and Peter Metcalfe of Bath Liberal Democrats, who remembered Don's lifelong support of the Liberal cause. Finally Don's daughter-in-law Deborah read Psalms 15 and 121, before the attendees were invited to refreshments next door in the Duncan Room. The afternoon had been a fitting 'send-off' for someone who'll be remembered with great respect and affection by the BRLSI, which he did so much to help create in its modern form.

 

Don Lovell, 1923-2009