Further sad news, we regret to announce.\u00a0 Anthony LEE died on 21\/1\/17 (aged 95). Below are copies of the tributes.<\/p>\n
Tribute from Simon Farr who is married to Tony’s daughter Annie.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n It is my impossible task to tell in a few minutes something of the long, varied and I’m sure we would all agree we have lost a very special man well known around the town After being demobbed from the navy, with the rank of lieutenant, Tony returned to Tony spent 14 years working in the Colonial Service in Tanganyika with his last posting During his time in East Africa he helped to establish the Maasai Mara National wildlife With his ever practical approach he set up a brick factory to ensure that a needed hospital At 38 TONY left the Colonial Service when Tanzania became independent under Julius For a short period the family lived in Leamington Spa and TONY worked for Joseph Lucas He did not enjoy working in industry and when he was asked to join a government team to Tony had the very difficult responsibility of security, liaising between the British Army, The Dick Eberly who worked with TONY in both east Africa and Aden describes him in his book “…he was a big fellow, a giant of a man, with a cheerful laid back outlook and a wry grin; The British withdrew from Aden in 1967 and TONY was sent off to another hotspot in the The island had been administratively linked to St Kitts and when the British government The situation calmed a little, but nevertheless the Harold Wilson Government felt the need The tiny Anguilan population offered no resistance. The press had a field day, TONY Lee “…perhaps the most nonchalant man in Anguilla these days is the man most under “…..been much impressed by his calm demeanour and obvious sincerity of purpose ….he He is still regarded with great affection in Anguilla. One important legacy of his time there When he visited 8 years ago he was received by the islanders as an old friend. With the order he was much involved in the support of the St John eye hospitals in Gaza Sadly Thelma died at this time and TONY moved here to Aldeburgh without her. In recent years he bore his increasing deafness with great fortitude; once remarking that In few years ago TONY wrote to a friend about the Spanish concept of Duende. I hope now he has found Duende once more.<\/p>\n Tribute from John Boyd Brent. Tony was his mother, Catherine’s, older brother and James and are his nephews.<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n We grew up looking up to Tony. He was always so friendly and engaging and his courteous and And thus it was natural that his interest in and love of people easily crossed over the apparent boundaries of nationality, background or religion. He cared about the world, was loyal and appreciative of friends, and loved his family and grandchildren. More than once in recent years he has said to me, leaning over in that confiding way, “You know, I am very very lucky. I see so much of Jane and Annie and Caroline.” It was a continual source of happiness for him.<\/p>\n Recently he came across a book about the 13th C. Persian love poetry of Jelal udin Rumi. He was so taken with its descriptions of the supreme value of love that sent it to me, and asked me afterwards what I thought. Early on it starts with “Love is the very essence and “Don’t ask yourself what kind of love you should seek, John Boyd Brent <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\ndistinguished life of my father in law.<\/p>\n
\nby his sartorial style and courteous manners. He was well read, passionate about
\ninternational affairs, and a man of strong faith devoted to this church where he lead the
\nprayers on a Monday morning for many years.
\nTONY shone brightly from an early age. At Shrewsbury he was Captain of Rugby and
\nsoccer, vice captain of cricket and head of house, and won a bursary to read classics at
\nCambridge. This was cut short when he enlisted in the royal Navy in 1942 at the age of 19.
\nHis naval war service consisted mainly of patrolling the east Anglian coast and the Thames
\nEstuary, in very fast motor torpedo boats. Based at Felixstowe he was fortunate to meet
\nthe wonderful THELMA Richardson from Norfolk. Thelma was the WREN skipper of the
\nadmirals barge. Their romance blossomed and they married at the end of the war.<\/p>\n
\nCambridge to train for the colonial service and in January 1948 he, Thelma and their baby
\nJane sailed on the Langibby Castle to Dar Es Salaam in, what was then, the British colony
\nof Tanganyika. Two more daughters, Annie and Caroline, were subsequently born there
\ntoo.<\/p>\n
\nbeing District Commissioner in Morogoro. He loved his time in east Africa and spoke fluent
\nSwahili. He was an energetic young man and his work took him across vast territories
\noccupied by many different tribes, often in his own imported Citroen DS.<\/p>\n
\nreserve; he worked with a team of veterinary specialists and agriculturalists to help people
\nimprove their land management and farming techniques, from building terraces out of
\nwaste, to visiting the local witch doctor to persuade him to arrange a culling of cattle
\nnecessary because of a drought.<\/p>\n
\nwas built.<\/p>\n
\nNyerere in 1962.<\/p>\n
\nEngineering as an industrial relations manager. No doubt using (and I quote from his CV of
\nthe time) his \u201cwide experience of dealing with African Political Leaders\u201d.<\/p>\n
\nmanage the political turmoil in Aden he jumped at the chance. The rise of Arab nationalism
\nhad produced violent politics and Aden was a dangerous place. There had been some 280
\nguerrilla attacks in the 12 month period before Tony arrived.<\/p>\n
\nAdministration, and the warring local factions of a newly formed government.<\/p>\n
\nabout that time:<\/p>\n
\nand I had always admired his wife Thelma, given to extravagant gestures, always laughing
\nand a generous and a cheery hostess\u201d<\/p>\n
\ndecline of the British empire – the tiny Caribbean island of Anguila.<\/p>\n
\nsought to divest itself of its Caribbean responsibilities the Anguilans did not want to be run
\nby St Kitts. There was unrest. TONY was appointed Commissioner of the island.<\/p>\n
\nto do some quelling and sent a large invasion force – 2 navy frigates, 300 paratroopers and
\n50 London policemen.<\/p>\n
\nwas front page news and the event was dubbed the Bay of Piglets.
\nThe New York Times remarked:<\/p>\n
\nattack….through it all he has remained calm, matter of fact and good humoured…”
\nIn his book Caribbean Life and Culture the W Indian politician Sir Fred Philips wrote of
\nTONY that the had :<\/p>\n
\ncame to this most difficult assignment full of hope that he would be able to help guide a
\ncommunity which was devoid of any orderly government……it is fair to point out that
\nconditions would have been infinitely more disastrous if Lee had never been sent to
\nAnguilla\u201d.<\/p>\n
\nwas to safeguard, in perpetuity, the right of beach access for all Anguilans in the face of
\nluxury tourist developments.<\/p>\n
\nTONY left The Foreign and Commonwealth office in 1970. The children had grown and he
\nhad more conventional jobs in the City and in Cornwall. In 1983 he was delighted to be
\nappointed Assistant Secretary General of The Order of St John based at St John\u2019s Gate,
\nClerkenwell. He was back in the sort of work he enjoyed and did well.<\/p>\n
\nand Israel. His involvement and understanding of Palestine and the Palestinians led to his
\nfinal job as director of the Arab British Centre where he was for 10 years till the year 2000.
\nHe retired at the age of 75.<\/p>\n
\nHe nevertheless went on to make a full life for himself here. Always sociable and involved
\nwith people he was a regular at the golf club and at The Cross Keys. He often gave quite
\nlavish drinks and dinner parties to his wide circle of friends.<\/p>\n
\nhe would rather have lost an arm than lose his hearing. With an arm missing you had a
\nvisible disability and you were understood. Deafness was hidden.<\/p>\n
\nDuende is difficult to define.You might call it a spiritual oneness. It is also intimately
\nconnected with death. In his letter TONY said he felt Duende during a communion service
\nin this church. He wanted jump up and clap his hands.<\/p>\n
\ndignified manner always an example. I believe his dignity and friendliness went hand in hand with a big heart which sought out and recognised the dignity, the nobility of spirit in others. And his courtesy was not just a result of acquired manners but a real empathy, a compassion if you like, for the best and finest qualities in us human beings.<\/p>\n
\npurpose of life” and ends with these last lines:<\/p>\n
\nspiritual or material, divine or mundane, Eastern or
\nWestern… divisions only lead to more divisions. Love has
\nno labels, no definitions. It is what it is, pure and
\nsimple. Love is the water of life. And a lover is the soul
\nof fire. The universe turns differently when fire loves
\nwater.”<\/p>\n
\n10 Feb 2017<\/p>\n