Smith, Roland

OTT 326 - East

Date of Death: 07/06/1997

Taken from The Gazette No.38

Roland Anthony Smith, OT 326 February 9th. 1940 - June 7th. 1997 Pupil at Ottershaw 1953-1957

Roland, known as Roly, joined Ottcrshaw School from Richmond and East Sheen Grammar School. He enjoyed his studies at Ottcrshaw, and took full advantage of many |of the School's clubs; he learned bee-keeping, rowing, and gained his pilot’s licence while in the Air Training Corps. At Ottcrshaw he had to come to terms with poor health and the death of his father.

Roland left school after one year in the Sixth Form, and joined the paper-making firm Wiggins Teape. He married Penelope Stokes in 1963 and they brought up three daughters.. The family moved to Scotland in 1968, where Roland’s daughters attended school in Helensburgh. Sadly, Roland and Penelope divorced in 1990.

Roland suffered from cardiomyopathy for seven years before his death,but ill-health did not prevent him continuing with his significant contribution in shaping opportunities for disadvantaged youngsters. He had been Chairman of the charity Right Track (formerly known as Work Wise) for nine years.

His funeral was held in St. Brides Church, Glasgow, where Roland had been a member of the Vestry and was rector’s Warden at the time of his death. Over three hundred people attended a service which resounded with Roland’s wide taste in music. His memorial is in parkland overlooking Loch Lomond within sight of the rowing dub where Rowland had spent many hours coaching the Scots in that most English of sports.