Graham Russell (1944-1952)

It is with sadness that we have learnt of the death Graham Russell (1944-1952), a very proud and active Old Cryptian for many years.  He was President of the Club 1992-93.

His widow, Joan, wrote to us with this obituary.

If there is anyone still alive of his vintage, they will know more of Graham’s school days than I do.  I have heard that in his early years at the Crypt he struggled with a loyalty he felt for a football club with which he had played for many years and this was not well received.  Eventually he changed loyalty to the School and that never altered.  He played in 1^st XI cricket team in 1950 and 1^st XV rugby teams in 1950-51 and 51-52.

Graham studied medicine at Bristol, played rugby and Captained the Hospital team one year.  In 1957 he qualified M.B.Ch.B.  After some House jobs in different specialities in Bristol he came to Gloucester to work in General Medicine at the City Gen as it was then known on the site of the present GRI.  The Royal Infirmary was in Southgate Street.  I was a Radiographer at City Gen and had met some Old Cryptians at the nurses dances; Patrick Gwilym, Charlie Counsell and Malcolm Haines and was asked to tell Dr. Russell that they hadn’t seen him at The Fountain for some time!

His next job was in Paediatrics at Battledown Children’s Hospital, Cheltenham after which we married and moved to Plymouth for a 12month job in a fevers hospital where Graham saw smallpox and diphtheria.  He was refused any more deferment from National Service and had to sign up in the last year before it was abolished.  He was able to take up the chance of 3 years as a Commissioned Officer in the RAF which meant a better lifestyle and in theory, married quarters.  We had a good year at Cranwell and then he was sent to Sharjah for a year – no married quarters available – but he managed to get me out there for 4 months.  It was before oil money transformed the region.  Dubai had simple rowing boats (abras) to cross the creek and the old houses built with cooling wind towers.  The road from Sharjah to Dubai was compressed sand which would break up and so the ‘road’ got wider.  Our time there was an incredible experience.  I digress.

Coming out of the RAF Graham did a 6 month job in Gloucester in Gynae and Maternity.  He became adept at transfusing rhesus babies, whose inherited bloods were not compatible.  It is not easy to find a vein in a newborn.  He continued to be available for this procedure when he was working in General Practice but still had to be in for morning surgery etc.

He quickly became connected with the O.C.s again, particularly Dennis Mundy and Les Davies, meeting weekly for a chat and a beer.  Graham frequently took O.C. Friends to Twickenham and to Cambridge for O.C. Dinners at Emmanuel College where the Master at the time was Dr. Derek Brewer, Old Cryptian, (35-41)  These dinners were well attended but finished when Dr. Brewer retired in 1990.  A magnificent painting of the scene was made by Roger Phelps, (42-47), every person identifiable including Roger himself standing at the back talking with Dennis Mundy. Roger was a wonderful portraitist.  I see Graham at the top table presumably because he was doing much of the organising of the event at that time.

It was decided to re-connect with Pembroke College, Oxford which had a long link with the Crypt School via the Townsend Scholarship and Graham started to make the necessary contacts.  The first of these dinners was held in January 1992.  At Cambridge and Oxford the menus are mouth watering; five courses followed by College Port, conversations continuing over breakfast as they were happy to spend the night in College accommodation, which all contributed to the ambience of these occasions.  There were usually over 40 O.C.s enjoying these meetings. The London O.C. Dinners were often attended by Graham, particularly when they were at the Chelsea Hospital,

Graham was active in the setting up of the Bursary Fund: there are many letters from O,C.s far and wide replying to his request for contributions to help set up the Fund.  Graham also wrote a history of the O.C. Club, which, co-incidentally, is included in the 2023-24 magazine.  There are records of meetings available from 1901 and it seems there were sporadic meetings of “Gentlemen educated at the Crypt School” as far back as 1760.  What would these Gentlemen have thought when it was proposed that spouses and partners of Old Cryptians could become full members of the Club?  Possibly as unhappy about it as Graham was.

Graham had many good friends in the OCC and took great pleasure in re-unions and their never-ending conversations. As he says in his history of the club, “It has been a great privilege for me to have known Old Cryptians who were at the school in the last quarter of the 19^th century right through to present day Old Cryptians, some of whom I helped to deliver into this world.” He was a true and loyal member of the Club and a wonderful G.P. in Gloucester.  He is much missed by me, Graham, Sarah and Rachael and the grandchildren.

In memory of Graham Alfred Russell, MB., ChB., D.C.H., D.R.C.O.G.   And Old Cryptian (44-52)