Dennis Silk C.B.E. (CR 1955-68)

It was with great sadness that we received the news of the death of Dennis Silk C.B.E. (CR 1955-68).

In the 2017 edition of the Marlburian Club Magazine David Walsh (C1 1960-65) wrote: ‘At Marlborough Dennis Silk enriched the lives of many generations of school boys as teacher, housemaster, games coach and mentor giving them a perception of the values that underpinned his own life – self-discipline, commitment, self-awareness, the importance of service but also a strong sense of fun. Dennis was a formidable games player with cricket and rugby blues from Cambridge he inspired successive 1st XVs, his crowning glory was the winning of the Rosslyn Park Sevens with the 1957 Marlborough team.

Dennis was a consummate all-rounder, valuing all aspects of school life, academic, cultural and athletic and the necessity of keeping them in balance. He was an outstanding housemaster, which he thought to be ‘the best job in teaching’.

Dennis left Marlborough in 1968 to become Warden of Radley, which, over 23 years, he transformed into one of the best schools in England and was acknowledged as one of the great heads of his era.

The Silk Cup, presented by The Marlburian Club in his honour, is awarded annually to the school which achieves the greater success across all the fixtures between Marlborough and Radley.

A full obituary will be posted soon.