Tribute to Christopher Pertwee

Christopher Pertwee, who played a central role in the governance of our University from 1989 to 2006, died earlier this year. As a tribute, we are sharing an extract from a speech which was given by former Chair of Council Sir Timothy Melville-Ross, when Christopher was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the University of Essex in 2006. In honour of his contribution to the University, our flag is being flown at half-mast on Monday 17 March.

"I will, if I may just dwell on Christopher’s career based with the University and elsewhere for a moment and start by telling you that clearly this award is partly prompted by the fact that he is retiring from Council and as a Pro-Chancellor of the University at the end of this academic year and we would very much like to honour him and show our appreciation for what he has done for us over some 17 years of involvement by awarding him this fellowship. He has played a central role in the governance of the University as well as being a key member of Council since 1989, he has also been Pro-Chancellor since 1998 and Vice-Chair of Council since 2001. He has been a long standing member of both the Standing Committee of Council and its successor body the Finance and Strategy Committee.  

"Also, as I am sure you know Christopher knows a thing or two about property. He put this knowledge to excellent use in his Chairmanship of the University’s Development Committee from 1998 to 2005. He always takes trouble to get to know people in the University’s Estates Department where he is affectionately known as Mr Christopher and indeed on our construction sites. He has the capacity to make a contribution at all levels steering the Development Committee through challenging discussions on the room numbering system and the colour of the window panels. But also on transport issues and the property implications of the University developing a multi-site campus. He chaired the building sub-committees for the Biological Sciences expansions and the new Lecture Theatre and has taken ownership of those projects.

"So, where does this property knowledge come from and indeed his ability to broaden his outlook and take such a lively interest in all the University’s many activities? Partly, I think from his career in his family business which he has guided through many changes reflecting changes in markets in which the business has been active. Originally a substantially agricultural business dealing with seeds, grain and agri-chemicals. The business moved strongly into property in the 1990s. Christopher is still Chairman of the business although I am sure with greater or lesser degrees of certainty by various members of his family that he will be moving out of his office later this year. In one respect at least this would be a pity because it would deny Christopher 50 years of association with the business which started in 1957. Family business it may be, but Christopher started pretty much at the bottom. His first job was as a sales representative for which the rewards must have been modest. Time doesn’t permit me to go into the details of this career but I will share with you just one recollection from his son Mark which is of Christopher setting off to London to do business at the Corn Exchange complete with bowler hat. Christopher is one of very few people who has the style to get away with such a thing. He was, incidentally, one of the founding trustees of the University of Essex Foundation on which he still serves and one of his fellow trustees has said that he was the most dapper of the group.

"Christopher has been hugely active in so many other ways too which you will know about. He’s been High Sheriff of Essex in the 1990s, Master of the reputable Company of Farmers a few years ago, and, can you believe, is taking up riding ten Point to Point to racing. He is an excellent skier, tennis player, golfer and, more recently, Sudoko fiend. He has been a great credit to the University and apparently hyper-active in so many ways. At his 50th birthday party a couple of years ago, he was described – and this is true – he was described as a “whirly gig beetle” a species that actually exists and is apparently always spinning around running from place to place. The speaker said that the only difference between Christopher and the beetle was that the beetle eventually stopped. But, Christopher will be stopping at least as far as the University is concerned and we are all extremely grateful for everything he has done for us here and Carol his wife for letting us have so much of his time."