Harry Parish

It has been announced that Harry Parish’s funeral will be on 22nd July at 12:00 noon at Cam Valley Crematorium, Field Farm Dr, Great Chesterford, Saffron Walden. CB10 1FE.

It is requested that no flowers be sent and any donations be made payable to the Alzheimers Society sent c/o:

Kingfisher Independent Funeral Services
Gate Lodge,
Cemetery Road
St Neots
PE19 2BX

For those that didn't know Harry, he played a leading role in the early days of Shelford Rugby Club and all now involved with the Club owe Harry a considerable debt of gratitude. Below are some recollections from Bill Bradford:

"I was a supporter of the Shelford Rugby Club when the matches were played on the Rec which adjoined to my family home at the end of Woodlands Road. I played rugby for Shelford 1954/55 before leaving UK to become a student in Switzerland, I am sure that Harry was playing for the club then.

I returned to Cambridge in December 1960 and started to play for Shelford. I Had some experience of playing rugby at school and captaining a club in Bermuda for two seasons. I immediately met up with Harry who was treasurer of the Club at that time and we realised that we both were OBs of Bedford School and at the AGM Harry persuaded me to become the Secretary as the current secretary was moving away. Our HQ was the Peacock in in the village.

Some four years later the owner of our present ground was Perce Davey, who was a friend and neighbour of Harry. I was a very regular customer buying flowers from Perce twice a week for my hotel. Independently, Perce told both Harry and myself that he was retiring and asked us both what did we suggest he might do with his land. Harry and I met with him and due to the fact that his only son was a founder member of Shelford Rugby Club but died in the war, we both suggested that he might give the land in memory of his son and he immediately said 'what a brilliant idea'. With Harry being an accountant he carried out all the work necessary to pass the ownership to the club and, if my memory is right, it cost nothing.

In the club at that time we had some very skilled members who were able, at very little expense, to build a club house with excellent facilities, construction of 2 pitches, car park, etc. All of those dedicated members have now passed away. Unfortunately I cannot remember their names. Milzy had joined the club a year before and Keith Thomas was involved.

However it must be said that Harry was entirely responsible for the finances of the club and we should be entirely grateful to him for obtaining the club and more than any one else he virtually ran it. Perce Davey became the president but he had no responsibilities.

I became President of the club in1989, but moved to France a year later. But Harry and I always kept in contact and I used to see him whenever I was back in Cambridge. We sometimes had different ideas but we never fell out."

Updated 17:20 - 29 Aug 2019 by Leslie Gelling