Roger Bates
(OC 1959-1966)

Born 30 October 1947, died 20 January 2021, aged 74 years old

Roger Bates succumbed to cancer at his home in Bexhill, on the Sussex coast, on 20 January. He was 74.

He was the leading artist of his year and studied at St Martins School of Art before beginning a career teaching at Goldsmiths College in London. After retirement, he stayed on for a while at Goldsmiths as the librarian and organised the college archives. He was a keen geologist and an aspiring cricketer in his early days – but art became his passion. He was an avid collector of books, coins and curiosities and spent his later years refining his abilities as a sculptor.  Roger was the most erudite conversationalist and leaves a wife, Jacqui, two children and three grandchildren.

In the picture that was used at the top of the home page of the Old Caterhamians Association web site (pictured below). Roger is the poster boy embracing an old friend (Jan Charlesworth) while his wife, Jacqui, smiles at the camera).

In the photograph below he’s on the left at the front with (l to r) Roger Simpson, Loyd and Leah Grosvenor and Charlie Bax.

Written by David Boardman (OC 1959-66)