Rupert R Thorogood, G3KKT, 25th June 2016
Rupert Thorogood, G3KKT (SK), RSGB Company Secretary
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Rupert Thorogood, G3KKT, who was the RSGB Company Secretary from 2006 until he passed away on Saturday 25 June 2016.
RIP Rupert. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.
If you have any recollections of Rupert that you would like to share, please email sk@rsgb.org.uk – thanks.
I first met Rupert about 25 years ago, when we were both working on GSM radio standards in the early 1990s; he was working in the DTI. Our paths crossed in many meetings around the world, where he used to turn up in his private aeroplane, throwing the travel claims department into chaos with the mileage claim calculated on a Great Circle route.
Before that he had been in Cable and Wireless all over the world, in the days when we had networks crossing the world. He retired from C&W as Principal of the Cable and Wireless Engineering College at Porthcurno. He was involved and had many interests: From Company Secretary of a large block of flats in London, vintage motor cycles, to teaching IET electrical courses, and Company Secretary of the RSGB.
He was always interesting to talk to, full of anecdotes, and full of a zest for life. I shall miss him.
Charles Brookson, G4GBA
I knew Rupert through my time as RM, and whilst I was on the selection committee. Rupert was very knowledgeable as Company Secretary, he knew the Mem&Arts and all the relevant company legislation from cover to cover, and could literally quote the relevant lines, word-for-word in some cases. I remember him taking minutes during National Council (NC) meetings, and again, his knowledge of previous meetings minutes was amazing. He would also be the one, on occasions to pull the meetings back on track, when we’d wandered at NC. I certainly enjoyed working alongside him during my time as RM, and I’m sure he will be missed by many.
Mark Harper, MW1MDH (DRM61)
When he worked with me in DTI, he was going off to an ETSI meeting which was being held in Zurich. He came to see me (I was notionally his boss) to ask whether he could fly to Zurich. I said “Well, you can fly to Zurich, although there are few direct flights from London and as its a small airport there, so it’s a bit of a hairy landing. Most people fly to Geneva and then take a train.” He replied “No I mean is it OK if I fly myself there in my aeroplane?”
I must have been mad, but trying not to think of the DTI’s liability if he crashed his plane into a Swiss bank, I said he could do so as long as his travel expenses claim was capped by the British Airways fare to Geneva plus the Swiss rail fare on to Zurich. So that’s what he did.
David Hendon
Rupert was for some (maybe many) years head of the Cable & Wireless training establishment in Cornwall. I first met him when he moved to Cheltenham in, I think, the late 1980s where he forged a second, very successful, career.
Derek, G3NKS
I first met Rupert when he moved to Cheltenham to work for ‘the firm’. He confused admin staff here by claiming motor mileage when flying his Piper Apache /Aztec G-MOLY on business.
He took me on a local flight on one occasion, probably the only occasion that I’ll ever get my hands on the controls of a twin engine aircraft (very sensibly he didn’t let me land it!)
73, Rupert
Ken, G3LVP
I first met Rupert over 20 years ago when we were both standards delegates to ETSI. When I chaired a series of meetings and Rupert was the secretary who took the minutes there was never any doubt that one of us was setting direction, but which one? Rupert was always well-organised, reliable, on top of things and great fun to chat with outside the meetings. Discovering, a while later, that Rupert had become Part P certified to help his daughter, and was now delivering the Wiring Regulations courses at a local college, was delightfully typical! He will be missed.
Robin Gape, G8DQX
Rupert reminded me at the AGM in Glasgow in April this year [2016] that it was 10 years since I interviewed him for the post of Company Secretary. I was Chair of the Nominations Committee at the time. Since then I have enjoyed his company within RSGB and, at times, outside the Society. On one occasion, at lunch with Rupert at the Liberal Club in London, He remarked that his “claim to fame was being the entry above the late Jeremy Thorpe in the membership listings”. He had a great sense of humour and had led such a varied and interesting life. Rupert was a true gentleman… gone far too soon and he will be greatly missed by so many. RIP & 73 Rupert.
Liz Cabban, GW0ETU
Selected reaction via Facebook
I first met Rupert when I took up the role of Regional Manager. Although I did not know him well I remember him to be a lovely, kind considerate and passionate man RIP Rupert it was a privilege to have met you.
Vaughan Ravenscroft, M0VRR
It was a privilege to work with Rupert while I was RSGB President and last spoke to him at the AGM in Glasgow. RIP Rupert.
Colin Thomas, G3PSM
I very much enjoyed working with Rupert while I was on the Board. Bumped into him just a few weeks ago at Reading station and we had a nice chat – he seemed in fine fettle and this comes as a real shock.
Don Field, G3XTT
I first met Rupert in 1947 or 48 when we both lived in the same road in Luton. We quickly became great friends. We got interested in radio via Luton Technical College, where we each built a 1-valve TRF receiver. Mine was from parts scrounged from here and there, but Rupert’s was a far posher get-up that he built from a kit he was given by his father.
Those TRF receivers suffered from the disadvantage of radiating signals rather strongly so we were banished from our respective homes and had to listen to our radios in the fields, well away from the houses. One day Bill Green, G3QG spotted us and asked what we were doing. We explained and he promptly invited us back to have a look at his shack.
Rupert and family moved out to a larger house and we lost touch – I joined the Air Force as a Radio Mechanic and Rupert studied communications with Cable and Wireless. He flitted round the world working at various radio stations. After I left the RAF I joined a local electronics company, where I stayed until I retired.
Several years ago I noticed that Rupert had become RSGB Company Secretary and, thanks to that, re-established contact after our very long break. We saw each other two or three times a year, the most recent occasion being late in 2015.
I’m pleased to say we got along just as well as we had in our younger days, and it was a terrible shock to hear that he had passed away.
Ray Aldous MBE, G8CBU
Category: GB2RS Headlines, RSGB Notices, Silent Keys
