D A E Harris (David)
North B, 1945-50
David Harris joined the School in September 1945 for its last term at the Atholl Palace Hotel in Pitlochry (built as a health-promoting holiday destination for Victorians!) North B House was quite a contrast; however, it turned out to be a very happy home for David for the next four years.
He left in December 1949 as a School Prefect, 1st team colour at rugby, hockey and tennis, and the School’s star squash player. This was followed by 18 months’ National Service in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), latterly as a 2nd Lieutenant.
In October 1951 David was back in Cambridge at Peterhouse, reading Mechanical Sciences and playing hockey for the University Wanderers team.
From then on, David’s life was largely spent abroad, initially working for the Aluminum Company of Canada (Alcan) in Canada, Melbourne, London and Geneva. On his early retirement he remained in Geneva, joining the staff of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and continuing to work in this capacity until the tender age of 75!
In 2016 he and his wife Eve returned to the UK to live in London, to be nearer to their three sons.
David died peacefully on 7 December 2022. The photograph shows him on top of the Saleve mountain overlooking his beloved Geneva, where he lived for 38 years. Taken in the summer of 2012, it was displayed on the screen in Mortlake chapel during his funeral.
Words by Hugh Harris (North B, 1949-54)