Dave died at home on 22nd January after several months of illness. Many of our current crop of new members will probably only have encountered him serving behind the bar or as a social and audience member. But from his first appearance in the archives in 1980, helping to build a set, until his last involvement in a play in 2010, he regularly worked backstage and acted in supporting roles in nearly 40 productions.

He worked as a set painter and builder, a stage manager, and served as a Council member for three years in the early nineties. He excelled in character roles—Chadwick in our first production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in 1980, Private Fraser in Dad’s Army in 2008, and Crook-Fingered Jack in The Beggar’s Opera in 1995. He also appeared in festival successes—The Canterbury Tales, Erpingham Camp and Abelard and Heloise. He was very reliable in all aspects of productions.

Always good company, he particularly enjoyed the social side of the Club’s activities and was a frequent member of the ‘Friday evening crossword team’. A Geordie by birth, he made no secret of his support for Newcastle United. He was visited during his illness by his son Callum, who came over from Ireland. We offer our condolences to his family and his many friends at the Barn.