Victor Parry (MA Oxon, FCILIP, FRSA, FRAS) V


ictor Thomas Henry Parry who died peacefully at home on 30 December 2020 aged 93 was a librar- ian by vocation who had a distinguished career. He was a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society, and the Royal Society of Arts as well as a Fellow of CILIP. In 1945 he went up to Oxford, aged just 17, and taking a degree in English Literature at St Edmund Hall, one of the oldest Oxford Colleges, where he en- joyed playing sport and listening to trad jazz.


After national service in the Royal Air Force, he joined the Manchester Public Library in 1950 on one of the first graduate training schemes in the country. He moved to London


as an assistant librarian in the Colonial Office in 1956 where he set up a legal library for the various constitutional confer- ences which led to the eventual independence of Kenya and other African states. In 1959 he was made a Fellow of the Library Association, and acted as a senior examiner for the profession for over 10 years.


He became the first professional librarian at the Nature Conservancy in 1960, and maintained the archives for the Sites of Special Scientific Interest. He then became Deputy at the Natural History Museum Library, followed by service for


David Ruse D


avid Ruse, ardent advocate for libraries and archives and a tour de force in public services, died on 12 October 2020.


He worked in or with libraries until his retirement in 2013, his career culminating in the establish- ment of a shared library service for the three London boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, and Westminster. He was unwaver- ingly enthusiastic about libraries, archives and arts and culture, and the role they play in helping people and communities realise their potential through reading, learning and information. David always knew he wanted to work in public libraries, having


started as a Saturday assistant at City of Bath libraries, whilst still at school. He studied Library and Information Science at Birmingham City University and became a Reference Librar- ian. He worked at the London Boroughs of Havering, and Barking & Dagenham, before taking up a post at the Library Association. In 1989 he joined Berkshire County Council as Head of Planning and Development. In 1993 David joined


54 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL


Westminster City Council as Director of Libraries and Cul- ture where he demonstrated his formidable leadership skills, vision, innovation, political acumen, and dedication. He was truly inspirational to colleagues within the council and nationally. He relished the political side of the work and was passionate about public service.


David was known for the way he encouraged and supported younger or less experienced colleagues. He was generous with his knowledge and experience, encouraged his staff to have the courage to take risks and actively sought out oppor- tunities for them to develop. David trusted, listened, allowed staff to be themselves and encouraged them to speak freely and honestly. He had a huge impact on many careers. His dedication to public service didn’t wane after he retired. He became Chairman of his local Parish Council and Secretary to the Friends of the Steam museum in Swindon, Wiltshire. He loved a good night out, especially if it included music, pies and real ale. He also thoroughly enjoyed the sport of carriage driving, accompanying Carole to many events with their Welsh ponies.


He leaves Carole, his wife of 45 years, daughters Genevieve and Eleanor and their partners and his three beloved grand- children, Eriana, Ivy and Jackson.


Charlotte Fergusson, Service Improvement Manager (Transformation), Bi-Borough Libraries & Archives.


September 2021


many years as the Chief Librarian and Archivist at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.


In 1978 he left the Civil Service and became Chief Librarian at the School of African and Oriental Studies. He concluded his career with a five-year appointment as the Director of Central Library Services and Goldsmith’s Librarian of the University of London, taking early retirement in 1988. He thus traversed the public, Civil Service, special and uni- versity fields of librarianship, in an unusually broad career. A lifelong lover of sport, he excelled at cricket and table tennis as a schoolboy in his home town of Newport, south Wales and was chair of the Newport Youth Council in 1945 before going up to Oxford. At ‘Teddy Hall’ he was awarded Hall colours in soccer and played for the Centaurs. He enjoyed membership of Surrey County Cricket Club after retirement, and was also a keen supported of Manches- ter City FC. He continued to play table tennis until the age of 76 when arthritis became too much of a handicap, but carried on playing Bridge, with some skill, until well into his 80s. But perhaps his greatest love was to see Wales beating their opponents at rugby union.


In May 2019, after a long and happy marriage, he and his wife Mavis celebrated their Diamond wedding anniversary. He is survived by her, his daughter, two sons and five grand- children.


Richard Parry (son)


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60