It is with great sadness I have to report the death of David Adams on December the 21st 2021.

David a member of our group known as The Cheesecutters  led a particularly eventful life particularly after leaving LSJL in1957 when our group was formed. This grouping stayed together as friends up to David’s death some 68 years in all.

Here are two photographs illustrating the groups formation and latter days David 1st on the left in the above Photo, 1st on the right in the lower one. All wearing our Cheesecutters.

After an initial few year frolicking around with his pals David qualified as a Chartered Surveyor RICS and worked in London and Glasgow.

His keen eye for spotting spelling mistakes caused him to become an examiner for the society for evaluating new entrants to the society.

David was always interested in sailing and on the occasion of passing his finals decided to buy a boat. He was of course near to broke and it was with some trepidation he approached his local Bank for a loan to buy one.  The manager looked him up and down, looked at his bank account overdrawn. Then turned to him and said “Damn Good Idea, I think you will need more that £300, have £500 instead”

David picked himself up off the floor and left with a large grin on his face.

After a long career as a Surveyor he retired to East Sussex and became a stalwart of Bosham Sailing Club. Because of his Scottish Connections having worked in Glasgow, every January 25th On Burns Night at the Sailing Club it was always he who addressed the Haggis.

He had managed to pick up a few choice Scottish words and over embellished the accent, this greatly impressed his audience and they decided to make him a Rear Admiral of the Club.

He then decided to sail in a small boat across The Atlantic in a crew of three. A huge storm hit the vessel and David had to make his way to the wheel for his turn at the Tiller. He disconnected his safety line from one anchorage point to another as he did this a huge wave hit the boat and carried David over into the Atlantic. He thought he was a “gonner” and called upon the Spirit of the Cheesecutters to save him. Another huge wave then struck David and plonked him back on the deck. He quickly attached his safety line and eventually finished the voyage to the new world.

In later years he formed The West Ashling Croquet Club where he and his lovely Wife Lizzie would take on all comers around the cunningly angled Croquet Green he had prepared and upon which only he and Lizzie would know the slopes and borrows.

He and Lizzie were married for many years and they had two sons.

The Cheesecutters always kept in touch and would meet annually ay my place in The Algarve David always loved these get-togethers. It was at one of these gatherings that the photograph above was taken.

There were ten of us in the group now there are just four left. Sadly time always wins every encounter in the end.

Gordon Price (OL 1957)