OLD DERBEIAN SOCIETY
Obituary
J. W. C. Tomlinson (Derby School 1945 - 51)
The sad news has been received that James William Christopher ('Bill') Tomlinson died in Canada on 6th February 2009 after finally losing a long and brave battle with a serious blood condition. This will be a matter of profound regret to his contemporaries at Derby School many of whom knew him very well not least on account of the exceptional prowess as a sportsman which he displayed during his time there.Bill was born in India in 1932 and had just one younger sister to whom he was very attached. Their father was employed there by the Imperial Bank of India, of which he later became the General Manager, and Bill arrived in England in 1945 to further his education at Derby School, at St Helen's House where, in that same year, he joined the fourth form. From 1948 to 1951 he continued to pursue his studies in the sixth form, passing the old-style HSC in 1950 and the then 'new' GCE A-level examination in 1951. This was capped by the award of a bursary and a place at Queen's College, Oxford to read for a degree in English, which Bill took up in 1953 after first completing his National Service, during which he attained commissioned rank. He became one of no less than eight ODs then studying at the university who memorably joined together to entertain our late and much respected Headmaster, Leslie Bradley, to a private dinner in Oxford which, in later years both Bill and the Head still vividly recalled.
Before graduating (in 1956) Bill made his mark in university sport by twice earning a full Blue for field hockey but he was not far short of that level in several other disciplines including both cricket and football for both of which he had been awarded full Colours at Derby School. In later life he was a successful golf exponent.
After working for several years in industry and commerce and teaching at the Oxford College of Technology in the UK, Bill decided to resume his academic career and to that end he and his Derby-born wife Mary (nee Winfield) emigrated to Canada in 1970, never to repatriate to England. This was a prelude to outstanding success in his chosen field, obtaining both an SM (equivalent to an M.Sc) and a Ph.D from MIT, and reaching the pinnacle of Emeritus Professor of International Business Studies at the University of British Columbia in his home city of Vancouver and becoming an international consultant. This was the field in which he had earlier specialised both at the Manchester Business School and at MIT. At Manchester he had played a leading role in establishing the international faculty.
It would undoubtedly have been a privilege to be one of Bill's students. He was unstinting with his time and widely recognised as a quiet, understated man capable of inspiring young people with his own distinctive brand of drive, independence and care for others.
Bill and Mary Tomlinson had four much loved daughters and twelve grandchildren, all of whom survive him, as does Bill's second wife of some thirty years, Penny (nee Brown). His descendants remained devoted to him and were a great comfort to him in his last days. For them especially, but also for everyone who was fortunate enough to know him, Bill's passing is a grievous loss. There is to be a celebration of his life and exceptional achievements in Vancouver in April 2009.
R. J. Smith (1943-51)
