Yesterday morning and through the lunchtime, we remembered in praise, Andrew Warwick-Thompson Paul went to my school in Dorset. Paul was the younger, there was a story of Clank who taught Latin and memories of tuck brought into the school by Andrew (maybe not quite licit). A remarkable memory of Andrew from earliest memories.
Gillian, the investment consultant at Bacon & Woodrow who married Andrew and bore him two children who helped us with the service, Gillian reminding us of Andrew’s career from becoming a lawyer to being accepted as an honorary actuary. Andrew was one of only a handful of partners at Bacon & Woodrow who was not an actuary.
We had a formal speech from a humanist who led the service, reminding us of Andrew’s public persona, his role in St Albans where he was a councillor, his role working for the Pensions Regulator and for Central in the LGPS looking after £50bn money for public servants as he was in the later years of his career. Finally his work as a Trustee for Scottish Widows Master Trust.
I will only add what has been said before – that Andrew had the integrity and self-confidence that made him important to many of us.
It was good to meet old school mates who came, it was good to meet representatives of TPR and Scottish Widows and good souls who made it to Hemel Hempstead who (like me) had little work with him but great admiration.
But it was the hardcore of Bacon & Woodrow, Cheseldine, Cox, Westbroom and many others who brought depth to the memories . We remembered him for being a maverick, for calling out bad practice (he broke Equitable Life’s failure to his colleagues- much to their displeasure – BUT HE WAS RIGHT).
We remembered his humour, his love of a glass of wine, a pint of beer a laugh after work.
He was four years older than me and from being 13 to 63 I have known him as just that – a senior boy. He will be a senior boy in future, the senior I want to be. Thanks Andrew Warwick and thanks to your family who made this such a good event, so worthy of your memory.
Harry’s reading and his excitement in the final stanza will stay with me – I am sure!
