the wychwood june 2011 david k.m. innes-wilson
TRANSCRIPT
The Wychwood June 2011
www.thewychwood.co.uk 37
David K.M. Innes-Wilson
1941-2011
David was born in
1941 in Peshawar in
India, now Pakistan,
where his father was
serving with the
Royal Engineers. He
returned to the U.K.
with his mother
when he was six to begin his schooling,
his father remaining
behind as Surveyor
General of Pakistan
during Partition.
He was educated at
Marlborough
College and recently
enjoyed a fiftieth
year reunion with the boys in his old
house at school.
He went on to study Classics at St.
Andrew’s University then followed the
family tradition by joining the King’s
Own Scottish Borderers, with whom an
ancestor had fought at the famous battle
of Minden in 1759. Minden was one of
his given names and indeed he was
always known as Minden in his regiment.
In 1969 he married Carolyn whom he met
whilst serving in Germany, where she was then teaching.
Army life suited David well and his
various postings took him around the
world as well as a number of years spent
in Scotland. On leaving the Army he
joined a London-based charity,
U.K.Skills, dedicated to helping young
people in trades and industries to develop
their skills through competitions held
world-wide, called the Skills Olympics.
Settling in Shipton in 1992 David was
keen to involve himself
in local activities. He
was a Local History
Society committee
member, worked for
the Officers’
Association and was
West Oxfordshire
representative of Crimestoppers. In 2004
he became Treasurer of
St. Mary’s in Shipton
and Benefice Treasurer,
working throughout his
long illness.
David enjoyed village
life and supported
many fund-raising
events; at the Shipton village fete he was
usually to be found helping to man the bookstall. Both times he was able to travel
to Lords to watch Shipton C.C. play in the
Village Cricket finals.
He played golf regularly and was a
member of the Wychwood Golf Club. He
also read avidly and always had a
crossword to solve.
He and Carolyn were happily married for
forty-one years and the family gathered
together to celebrate his seventieth
birthday.
Many people wrote to Carolyn after his
death mentioning his unfailing courtesy,
kindness and wry sense of humour. He
bore his illness with courage and quiet
dignity, an old-fashioned true gentleman.
He will be greatly missed by Carolyn, son
Christopher, daughter Elizabeth and his
two grandsons and also by his many
friends.
Written by Carolyn Innes-Wilson