William R. (Nobbly) TANNER (1929-35) died after a short illness on 16th August 1997.
The following is the eulogy given by Tony Alexander at the funeral of Nobbly on Saturday 23rd August 1997 at Golders Green where in excess of 150 family, friends and Old Haberdashers' were present.
"Born 29th February 1916, died peacefully 16th August 1997.
"Dear Bill, or 'Nobbly', as we in the O.H. all knew him, had only celebrated 20 birthdays, when he died, not 81 as he would have us believe! Our thoughts go out to his family, here today, at their sad loss.
"A kind, humble person, some might even say, stubborn at times, with his heart only in one place - Haberdashers: Mr Haberdasher, the like of which we will never see again.
"A noble person in his own right, hence his nickname "NOBBLY"! Under pressure at school one day, reading a passage to the class, under the eagle eye of one Mr. Norton, he struggled to put emphasis on a particular passage. "He nobly strode forth resolutely", he tried. But instead, "He NOBBLY strode forth resolutely", came out. Ever since that eventful day, the legend was created, our own NOBBLY TANNER was born!
"I first remember Nobbly some 45 years ago, coming off the rugby pitch at Croxdale Road with my father, Terry. The Elstree mud was thick on everyone, the side had won against K.C.S. by a convincing margin, and all Nobbly wanted to do was get to the changing room, get out his pipe after first having a cigarette, and complain to Terry that, for the final try, instead of holding the ball in the back row and scoring himself the tactics should have been different, so as to allow Nobbly to score his hat-trick! This he complained, would have made his records easier to compile, without having to put Alexander on the score sheet
"HIS RECORDS! They will be remembered most of all! How many times when on rugby and cricket tours, have we dived into his record ledgers? Who was in the 'A' XV team, on 19th October 1957, the original selection and those who actually played? What was the score, who were the scorers, what was the weather like when the Extra 'B' played U.C.S. Old Boys on 5th November 1969? How many appearances did that make John Parker's playing total? It's all there, for every team, rugby and cricket - and of course his unstinting work as registrar for the O.H.A. The chasing up of members for their subscriptions, organising decade dinners, wine and cheese parties, amending addresses, knowing telephone numbers from memory and who attended the O.H.A. Dinner in 1974 - the Number and the Names! It's all there, and now alas no more. A chapter in history is closed, never to be emulated again.
"BUT WHAT OF NOBBLY'S RECORD?
"Born in Wandsworth on the 29th February 1916, staying in South London as a boy and joining Haberdashers' at Westbere Road in 1929, in Hendersons House. Not the greatest academic, he matriculated in the required subjects, captaining the School at rugby from his position at outside half and captaining his house at cricket in his final year at school. He left in 1935 to take up a post in the City, with a shipping company, where he stayed until his retirement.
"He played for the O.H.R.F.C. during the winter, the first choice fly half for the 1st XV, taking to the field in the summer for his other love - cricket. In fact he was one of the elite O.H. to have graced the hallowed Twickenham turf, playing in the only pre-war O.H. Middlesex sevens side that got through to the finals!
"With the outbreak of war in 1939, Nobbly joined the Middlesex Yeomanry, along with my father and many other O.H., but in his humble manner, decided in his own mind, not to go forward to the Officer Cadet Training Unit, as he did not think he was officer material! He became a sergeant in the 7th Armoured Division, posted overseas in November 1940, serving in Greece and North Africa. It was during his time in North Africa, when the Axis forces overran the Allies at Tobruk, that he was captured by the advancing German forces and became a P.O.W. for some months! During his captivity, he was also one of the very few to have an audience with Field Marshall Rommel. Not many people have that claim to fame - playing rugby at Twickenham and speaking with Rommel.
"He was released in 1942, after El Alamein, immediately drafted to serve in the Italian landings where he was wounded in 1943. Not one to complain at this setback, he returned to the 7th Armoured Division brought to North West Europe, taking part in the D-Day preparations and landings.
"Life for Nobbly during the war years, as indeed for the rest of his life, was centred around Old Haberdashers, keeping in touch, reporting back news and getting in a few games of rugby. True to his style an extract appeared in a letter he wrote home, mentioning an unexpected meeting. In true "Nobbly" style, it read...
"Have managed to get in five games of rugger, 2 wins, 2 losses and 1 drawn, the last of which was played on the Sunday against one of our tank regiments. It was raining and blowing and I wasn't taking much interest. It wasn't until the second half, when a voice whispered in my ear, "Hello Nobbly, how are you?" It was Gordon Steele. Sorry unable to get his regiment, rank or number, but there was no club house to repair to after the match, only a 10 mile journey back in wet kit" Such was the man in any condition.
"When Nobbly was demobbed in 1945, he returned back to "Civvy" street, taking up his old position at his company and setting about the resurgence of the O.H.R.F.C., O.H.C.C. and H.O.B.C., the forerunner of the O.H.A. He moved to Barnes to live with his sister, getting the train out to match days for both cricket and rugby. Although he had driven armoured vehicles during the War, he decided it would be unfair to unleash himself on the British motoring public and never drove again, not that he needed to, when he moved down the road to Elstree!
"Nobbly played many, many games of rugby for all O.H. sides, breaking his neck twice and several other bones in his body. Indeed a note from the late John Stagg's diaries, which you might have read, sums him up.
"Sunday 20th October 1957"...
"In going for a score yesterday, Tanner broke his neck. I called on Nobbly with Ray Kipps. It was not pleasant, but he was his usual self in many ways, scores, scorers noted on his Sunday Times. Only one brief mention that he would never play again - which we quickly refuted. l wonder how many O.H. who had just broken their necks would really care who scored for the 'B' XV the day before? There is only one Tanner."
"Although not in the best of health, Nobbly still always managed to retain that twinkle in his eye, together with that humour that was his own; but pains and ailments seemed recently to get the better of him. Many, many more things could be said about dear Nobbly, so let us all recall our own particular thoughts and memories of him here today. We will miss you Nobbly, from your perch in the old stand watching the 1st XV, notebook to hand; or in the cricket score hut, complaining about who is bowling; or getting that late night phone call at 11.30 pm, to see if you are attending a function. We will miss the pungent smell of that Old Shag tobacco from your pipe and the many packets of Senior Service cigarettes smoked.
"We will all miss you deeply, Nobbly":
"Looking through a collection of poems, I came across a verse by a Northern poet, one Thomas Wilson, which could have summed up Nobbly:
"Thy joints are creaking with age. mine get more rigid daily too;
A few more seasons in this stage must bring us to our last adieu.
And when the curtain falls at last, should any one our story tell,
May this the sentence be that's pass'd, they both their parts have acted well."
Take care Nobbly. Goodbye and God bless you."
W.R. (Nobbly) TANNER Memorial Appeal
The response to the appeal was magnificent raising over £8,500 from all around the world. So many letters of praise for the work that Nobbly did, and the communication that he maintained with members. The following extract from one of these says it so well.
'...as you say, Nobbly was unique in the true sense of that word. How he found time to pen what must have been a multitude of personal missives to O.H.A. members defies imagination; he will not just be a hard act to follow but impossible to emulate. Certainly he was the one person who convinced me that I should not give up my membership."
The memorial plaque has been produced, and was displayed at the O.H.A. dinner. The officers of the association are currently looking for a registrar to assemble all the records.
Kelvin Pike