Framlinghamian 2023-2024 Single page - web 144dpi - Flipbook - Page 308
SOF | NOTICES
presumed dead, and they needed to
JOHN G THURLOW (K48-55) died on
break the news to her. As she was getting
Saturday 8 June, just 12 days after the
in the car an emaciated, dishevelled
death of his wife, Peggy. They had met
man appeared from the street – Brian!
at the Young Farmers Club in the early
It turned out that the expedition was a
1960s. The then Miss Peggy Wrinch
cover for nefarious activities by one of
(another Framlingham family) was the
the organisers. He had appropriated the
Club Secretary, and John was the Club
helicopter used to ferry the scientists into
Chairman. The couple married at Earl
the jungle and had abandoned them on
Stonham Church in 1962. They had three
the top of a mountain without any food or
children: James, Nic(ola) and Sally.
many supplies. They had to eat monkey
and anything that they could forage
as they made their slow and perilous
way down the mountain and back to
civilisation.
In addition to his travels, Brian was
scienti昀椀c co-ordinator on the development
and building of a new wing for Kew’s
Herbarium. He was also involved in the
writing of a number of scienti昀椀c papers, his
most signi昀椀cant work was probably much
of the writing, editing and bringing to
publication a book on the Flora of the Pico
Das Almas, Brazil.
After leaving school, John completed his
In addition to his work at Kew he loved
National Service with the Royal Electrical
to travel, including making frequent visits
and Mechanical Engineers (REME) and
back to Su昀昀olk, going to the theatre, sport
then returned to the family business,
– he was a hockey blue at King’s, dining
George Thurlow & Sons Ltd, based in
out, and being with family and friends.
Stowmarket, Su昀昀olk. He took over the
For the last twelve years of his life, he
running of the business following his
coped valiantly with Parkinson’s disease,
father’s death in 1968 and became the
refusing to be de昀椀ned by it, and continuing
fourth-generation family member to
to travel and enjoy a good social life.
control the business. In 2020 he 昀椀nally
retired from the business after 65 years
Brian passed away on 27 November
of service but continued to take an active
2022.
interest in it. He was rightly proud of the
family business and all it represented.
Contributed by Ian McLeish – good friend and
Following his retirement it still remains
best man at wedding.
very much a family business. John’s
306
