Peter Brown (OW 1951)

18 December 1931 – 2025

The Waynflete Office has sadly been informed of the death of Peter Brown (OW 1951) by one of his sons, Ed. Peter attended MCS from 1943-1951 and was an avid sportsman, including being Hockey Captain. We are grateful for these words shared by his son Ed.

Peter grew up on Lonsdale Road, Oxford, where he met his lifelong friend David Mander (1949). Before MCS, Peter’s early life was shaped by the Second World War; having moved to Beechcroft Road, he recalled hiding in the coal cellar of the family home during air raids before being sent for an 18-month stint in Northern Ireland to assist his Uncle Bertie on his farm, where he relished riding horses and raking hay.
Peter entered MCS in 1943 as a day boy. He excelled academically, winning the school prize for Latin in 1946, but it was on the playing fields that he truly flourished. He earned Full Colours in both hockey and rugby, represented the school in the Bisley VIII for shooting – earning colours and Crossed Rifles in 1950 – and also played for the tennis 1st VI.
His sporting prowess was frequently noted in The Lily. As a rugger player, he was described as ‘a sound full-back, with a particularly safe pair of hands’ and observers noted that ‘the ball often seemed attracted to him, however awkwardly it was bouncing.’ He served as captain of the hockey team in 1950 and, in cahoots with Master Bob Stanier, was purposely ‘failed’ on a Civil Service entry course so he could stay at MCS until he was 19 to continue leading the hockey team. This decision also delayed his national service. Unfortunately, his hockey prowess was subsequently scuppered by a knee injury.
It was at MCS that Peter solidified his bond with David Mander and also met lifelong friend Robin Hartwell (1951). Peter and Robin were in the hockey team, and also adventurously punted ten miles from MCS to Hampton Poyle one day! In later years, the families regularly socialised – gatherings that were reliably accompanied by a recurring theme of tea and cake, at the very least.
During his national service with the Royal Artillery, Peter trained as a surveyor at Lark Hill. He later served as Chief Clerk and Lance-Bombardier at Rolleston, where he enjoyed a positive rapport with his commanding officer and recalled his primary duty as walking the Captain’s dog. Peter subsequently successfully joined the Civil Service, enjoying a long career as an Officer of Customs and Excise. This role involved travelling to Scottish distilleries to test the whiskies and later navigating the introduction of VAT.
In 1956, Peter married Sonia Hasler in Wolvercote; they remained devoted for 63 years until her death in 2019. Over the years, Peter and Sonia lived in Cheshire and Droitwich, before moving back to Oxford where the couple were deeply rooted in the local community in Wolvercote. Peter was a mainstay of the Wolvercote Commoners’ Committee, promoting inhabitants’ grazing rights for cattle and geese.
A man of broad tastes, Peter loved his red wine and enjoyed a wide range of music from New Orleans jazz to rock ‘n’ roll to Irish folk and American country, alongside a shared passion with Sonia for opera, particularly the works of Puccini and Bizet. He enjoyed annual family holidays, which grew to include four generations.
Peter was ably assisted by his feline friends through the years: Puss, Rochester, Dinky, Noddy and Lulu. He is survived by his five sons – Michael, David, Robin, Paul and Edward – as well as 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.