Like many former colleagues, I had known Chris for over 40 years and, like Chris,
I had also spent my entire career with Commercial Union / Aviva.
On 12th October 1959, Chris joined the Civil Service Unit in the London Head Office Life Department of
North British & Mercantile at 120 Fenchurch Street.
After merger with Commercial Union (‘CU’) in 1960, Chris enjoyed a full range of Head Office Life administration jobs,
including latterly running an Actuarial Quotes Unit plus a role in computerisation of CU Life operations.
Chris finished his career in a legal team, integrating ongoing requirements of the Financial Services Act 1986
into company activities.
He also played an active part in company sports, tennis, badminton, golf, football & cricket, captaining some.
In Chris, the Company had a man with extremely high values, such as:
• Integrity • Honesty
• Enthusiasm • Commitment
• Attention to Detail
• Passion for the Aviva Fellowship
Chris always wanted anything he was involved with to be done correctly and was not afraid to stick to his guns
when sometimes faced with what appeared to be total opposition.
Whatever Chris became involved in, whether it be a technical matter, a customer complaint or setting up, for instance,
training programmes, he would always apply the same level of enthusiasm and commitment to the job in hand.
Chris was also a stickler for detail, which attribute led him to work in the latter part of his career in a legal team alongside two barristers.
In 1984 Chris’ job, along with many others, moved to Whyteleafe, which entailed a commute from Ilford,
involving crossing London to catch a train from London Bridge Station.
As many of us will remember, Chris was extremely interested in all matters relating to motoring, and I recall one morning when
Chris arrived at London Bridge Station and just missed his connecting train.
So, typical of Chris, he entered W H Smith and browsed the Motoring magazines.
Having then become so absorbed, he also managed to miss the next two trains and eventually arrived at work extremely late.
During this time Chris would often stay with my wife and me one or two nights a week, to reduce the strain of such a long commute,
and we enjoyed many an evening together at the Fairfield Halls watching old transport films.
These old films were part of an historic film archive and covered most forms of transport, including motor transport, ships and steam trains,
a special interest of mine, so all interests were covered.
In 1986 Chris was seconded to LAUTRO to help with its establishment (this later morphed into FIMBRA) and when his involvement came to an end,
he took up the legal position in Croydon I referred to earlier.
This was in September 1987, and most of you will recall that this was the year of “The Big Storm”.
As luck would have it, Chris was staying with us the night it happened, as he had been packing up his paraphernalia in Whyteleafe
prior to moving to the Croydon office.
Well, we woke up on the Friday morning to a scene of devastation, and many of you may remember that most transport links were out of
action, especially trains. As Chris was still living in Ilford at the time, he appeared to be stuck! But again, as luck would have it,
we managed to get into the Whyteleafe office, and just when Chris thought he might be stranded with us for days, we spotted a removal van
in the car park, which was just about to return to Romford, and we managed to secure him a lift home.
(I might add, he did actually have a seat, rather than being squeezed into a packing case!)
Fellowship
Chris retired on 31st December 2000 and we all wondered what he would do.
Well, Chris joined the Fellowship!
He very quickly joined the Croydon Pensioners’ Committee and became a very active member.
Chris brought to the committee the attributes I have referred to earlier, and became a stalwart of the Fellowship.
He was Treasurer for Croydon from 2002 to 2013 during which time he organised many lunches and outings.
Such was Chris’ enthusiasm for the Fellowship, he was keen to open up events to the other London areas wherever possible.
In 2011 Chris organised the splendid 150th CU Anniversary Cruise on the River Thames, which was open to the
whole Fellowship, and which I recall was attended by over 180 people.
It even attracted an Australian fire-fighter on holiday in London, who asked to join in.
Chris being Chris, never one to miss an opportunity, roped him in to give us a little talk on his work in Oz.
Such was Chris’ enthusiasm for organising trips away, he even joined a professional organisers group.
Chris spent ten years as Croydon Fellowship Treasurer, before being elected as Regional Chairman for London
and the South East in 2015, which allowed him to expand his event organising on a Regional basis.
Such events included trips to France, to Thursford in Norfolk, last year’s 20th anniversary Aviva
Fellowship lunch cruise on the Thames, and a carol concert in the Royal Albert Hall.
Chris really understood and appreciated the hard work and personal time committee members put into running the Fellowship,
and in 2018 he organised a special day out for those who had served on their committees for more than 10 years.
Special Long Service Certificates were presented by Lady Montague, wife of the then Chairman of the Board, followed by
behind the scenes access and tour of the Tower of London, a short river cruise and a tour of the Banqueting House.
It was a busy, tiring day – but again that was Chris packing a lot in!
Chris was passionate about the Fellowship and its objectives of engaging with and supporting former staff, no matter which constituent
company they had worked for.
He will be sorely missed!
Rob Hall
Chairman
Aviva Fellowship Croydon
June 2023
With grateful thanks to
Maggie Mahoney, Secretary, Aviva Fellowship Croydon
and Malcolm Oliver, National Chairman, Aviva Fellowship
for their assistance
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