Book Of Remembrances

Malcolm Brockman - Barking 41 Club

Malcolm, Chairman Barking Round Table 382 1970/71

Malcolm Thomas Brockman was a true gentleman in every sense of the word.I didn’t know his middle name until he called me into his little office above the Co-op in Barking around 1967.There on the wall was proudly displayed a certificate notifying all and sundry that Malcolm Thomas Brockman was a fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute and he was the youngest member ever to have obtained that qualification at the time.He hardly ever mentioned it. The reason it sticks in my mind was that Malcolm left his office searching for one of his usual boring forms and was gone so long I was able to tear off a tiny sticky section of a handy envelope and add the name John to the certificate announcing to the world Malcolm John Thomas Brockman.It took over 2 months for Malcolm to be informed by another client the addition to his certificate.

Malcolm had a very dry sense of humour and was also very generous but conversely could also be very thrifty.His 20 year old Ski Jacket was proof of that.I remember well a particular Round Table Meeting during a very hot July a member took off his jacket before the Chairman gave permission and was told to put it back on, this was not appreciated by the members.The following week I rang around the members before the next meeting and encouraged them all to cut off the sleeves and back of a shirt leaving the shirt front and cuffs only, in preparation for the next meeting.Malcolm was the only person I needed to persuade as in his words “he didn’t want to ruin a perfectly good shirt” he played along all the same and at the next meeting 25 members removed their jackets as one when told they could by the Chairman and sat through the rest of the meeting in shirt fronts and cuffs, I know Malcolm savoured that moment as did we all.

His very dry sense of humour was second to none and the fun that our quartet of Malcolm, Alan Ducksbury, Les Aldis and myself had during Round Table, Rotary, 41 Club and Tavernors meetings, are times and memories Les and I will never forget.

As four couples we attended so many dinner and dances with Round Table over the years and there was not a single occasion when the evening didn’t finish with raucous laughter.

I have a photo on my desk of Malcolm, Les and I at a cricket match where the fire brigade were fighting a fire with clouds of billowing smoke from the field behind while we gaily posed for the photo.

Malcolm was a keen sportsman, an avid skier, an accomplished squash player and a keen tennis player.Everyone loved Malcolm and everyone’s heart goes out to Liz, Philip and Nina for their loss.He will be sadly missed by me and all is friends, family and work colleagues.

Barry Stewart