Old Wandsworthians Memorial Trust

Hall of Remembrance

A Note on John Chafen (By Pete Eastwood)

John Chafen passed away on Friday 12th August 2005 aged 71 thus ending a personal friendship of more than fifty years. John was a few years ahead of me at Wandsworth School and one of my first memories was of John playing rugby for the 1st XV on the main pitch in front of the school. A ruck formed in the corner near the cricket pavilion and when it cleared John was prostrate groaning in agony. The unsympathetic but entirely typical comment from the referee Horace Aubrey was "Come on, get up Chafen, you're not dead"! John loved his rugby and played for many years for the OW's. Bob Hammond recalled the memory of John sitting in the changing room before the game, using all his naval skill to encase himself in an amazing sling which enabled him to play despite his damaged shoulder. We soon found that he could only pass to one side so we learned not to support on the wrong side. John was also a keen squash player and we played for many years at Wimbledon with Liz and Caroline Grant, Tony Berry, and John Bottomley with ever thoughtful John always bringing a large bottle of orange squash which he had frozen overnight in his freezer. We shared a great love of puzzles, word or mathematical or logic. I would often receive small bits of paper with a new problem or an elegant solution to the current problem, and he usually completed the Times crossword every day. He sadly never achieved his dream of inventing a board game that would be entirely devoid of chance, relying solely on the skill of the players.

He was a keen fan of Gilbert and Sullivan and Bob again recalls John often knocking on his door in Earlsfield and dragging him half way across London to see some G & S piece. He was one of my most reliable speakers at OW's Dinners and Bob remembers evenings in the County Arms helping each other prepare speeches. He had no family but loved children, and my two eldest fondly remember Uncle John with his sense of fun and amazing coin tricks, as well as one remarkable picnic, which started in bright sunshine, endured a hailstorm, and ended at Beverley Way! I am especially grateful to John for writing the most amazing letter of recommendation to my future employers The Bible Society. They could hardly fail to offer me the job after John's picturesque words! John loved good food, good wine and good company and his great sense of humour will be sorely missed by those who knew him. I feel privileged to have known him for so long as a faithful friend.

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