Stuart Annan (C3 1959-64)
Stuart David Annan was born in Holborn, London on April 20th 1946 and died after a short illness in Truro, Cornwall on September 25th 2021.
He was educated at Oakley Hall Preparatory School, where as a boarder from the tender age of 8 years old, his discovery of a love of sport helped distract him from inevitable homesickness. Arriving at Marlborough in 1959 he flourished, establishing a talent in many extra-curricular activities but in particular cricket, a game he adored his whole life.
Stuart was the second member of the Annan family to attend Marlborough College, after his father Russell (C3 1926-30) and before his brother Edward (C2 1961-65) and his eldest daughter Lucy (Millmead 1990-92). Stuart’s time at Marlborough was filled with great memories (and many amusing tales) which he often reflected upon. Whilst there he excelled at sport, being a champion Fives player, as well as a fast-opening bowler for the 1st XI Cricket team, and subsequently the Marlborough Blues Cricket Club, the Free Foresters, the Privateers and his home club, Woldingham Village, where he went on to hold several offices including Vice President. In the winter season, he played for Sanderstead Hockey Club for many years.
After leaving Marlborough, he pursued a career in the timber trade, first joining Bambergers Ltd, and spent a few months at a mill in La Guerche, France, becoming fluent in French, followed by 3 months on Vancouver Island, Canada gaining more knowledge and experience.
Meanwhile, in 1962 Stuart became an apprenticed Liveryman, obtaining freedom of the City of London in 1969. He was made a full Liveryman in 1974 and enjoyed dining at Skinners Hall on a regular basis for many years.
In February 1972, Stuart married Sally (conveniently outside the cricket season!) and they settled in Warlingham, Surrey close to where they had grown up and met each another. They had two daughters, Lucy (b. 1973) and Kate (b. 1976) before relocating to Leicestershire in 1977, after Stuart was approached by Parker Plywood to set up an office and warehouse there. They spent many happy years in the Midlands, with Stuart forging a successful career and forming life-long friendships. In the mid-80s, Stuart and five other directors set up a new company, Associated Plywood and later he went on to run Gimsons in Leicester, before moving on to Legal & General as a Financial Consultant. He continued to play cricket and squash into his forties and in later years took up golf becoming a respected member of the Leicestershire Golf Club and latterly Mullion GC in Cornwall. Many tours with golfing friends around the UK resulted in numerous trophies, of which he was very proud!
In 1997, Stuart and Sally moved to Cornwall, where they had spent many a happy family holiday, to enjoy a different pace of life. Stuart started up his own ‘Glasweld’ windscreen repair franchise, which he built into a successful business, securing large fleet contracts covering the whole of the county, in addition to Plymouth.
Having always been a man of faith and frequent Church-goer, he was elected Churchwarden in his home village of Mawnan Smith which he held for 7 years. This role covered two churches in the village, a community that held him in high regard.
After retiring in 2015, he was able to spend more time on the golf course, enjoy walks around his beloved Cornish coastline, boating, travelling and spending time with his family both in the UK and Australia.
To all who knew him, Stuart was true gentleman, a great friend, a generous host (the wine always flowed) and a wonderful story-teller with a fantastic sense of humour. He was smart, well-read, conscientious, wise, kind, patient, loyal and made everyone feel welcome and at ease in his company. Most of all, he was a dedicated and adored family man. He is greatly missed by his wife, daughters, sons-in-law and 6 grandchildren.
