LEONARD STEWART KENNEDY died at his home in Westbury-on-Trym on Sunday 27th January 1963. The words themselves seem incredible and the fact unbelievable. To many of us this is the most grievous blow the club has suffered for many years and our heart-felt sympathies go out to his wife and two children.

Len came to the club in 1928 and won his first XV cap as long ago as 1934. Almost thirty years later he was still playing with that fantastic energy, that determination to win and with very little loss of the old skills with which he was so abundantly endowed. During those years many honors came his way and the Bristol Club and the Combination were to use his services on many occasions. For one short period his business affairs took him to Gloucester where he was soon exercising his talents in the best rugby circles of that town. But the call of the Saracens was not to be denied and midway through one season he came back, making weekly and tiresome journeys to play for us.

To play was his greatest delight and the thought of defeat never entered his mind. His own intense enthusiasm communicated itself to the rest of the side and many a victory was saved when the game seemed well lost. Of late years this same burning zeal was used for the Thirds and Fourths as it had been earlier for the Firsts. If now and again he seemed, perhaps was is the better word, impatient of some weakness, it was never personal impatience - the anger was simply because the Saracens were not getting the high standard to which he thought they were entitled.

During a large part of his career he was on the Committee - he was Club Captain shortly after the second World War - and he played his full share. To his idealism, to this constant trust and desire for the Club's progress may be attributed many things which we now take for granted. Four years ago he was awarded the Hector Moon Tankard for outstanding services to the Club.

His work during those strenuous years when the ground was first purchased and the pavilion was in course of erection was immeasurable. Sunday after Sunday and very many evenings besides were spent in building, carpentry, joinery, painting, concrete-mixing - tasks great and menial - none came amiss. He, who never spared himself, was unsparing in his admiration for others who made even the humblest contributions to the Club.

Those who have known him longest are likely to mourn him most and many are the messages of sympathy received by the Club from old playing enemies who are united in their appreciation of his many qualities, his playing ability and his intense loyalty.

It is difficult to know for what he will best be remembered and certainly there is no lack of tangible things for which he was responsible. Perhaps he, himself, would have chosen that those qualities which he exercised so well on behalf of the Club should become part of its heritage - physical fitness, dynamic energy and will-to-win.

To have know him was a privilege, without him we shall be immeasurably poorer.

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