Obituaries

OBITUARIES Sm THOMAS NEAME, M.A., F.S.A. THE death of SH Thomas Neame, which occurred on the 28th August, 1973, has removed from the Kent Archseological Society one of its most eminent and respected members. Joining the Society Ha 1940, SH Thomas was unanimously elected President in 1959, and guided its affaHs with calm, business-like efficiency untU laying down his office in 1967, when he became an Honorary Vice-President. Members of CouncU wUl remember with pleasure and gratitude its annual meetings at his residence, often on the extensive lawn backed by trees and flowering shrubs, occasions made especiaUy happy by the welcome and hospitahty of himseh0 and the late Lady Neame. Not only was SH Thomas pre-eminent in fruit-growing in Kent— Ha 1953 he received from the Royal Horticultural Society its Medal of Honour, and was a member of the governing body of Wye CoUege, and also chanman of the East MaUing Research Station—his interest in the history of Kent was deep-seated and enthusiastic, being reflected in his valuable coUection of maps, books and manuscripts relating to the county, an absorbing interest that demonstrated his scholarship Hi that field. His education at Cheltenham CoUege and GonvUle and Caius CoUege, Cambridge, laid the foundation of his wide understanding of the humanities. In 1949 he was elected a FeUow of the Society of Antiquaries in acknowledgement of his distmguished services to history and antiquity, especiaUy in relation to Kent. He was appointed High Sheriff of Kent in 1948, and was knighted Hi 1960. Although at the advanced age of 87 at his death, his upright, soldiery figure was often seen at CouncU meetings up to the end, and members wUl remember with deference, and indeed with affection, his incisive, but always good-humoured, contributions to its debates. Of decisive and strong character, SH Thomas also possessed the human touch of kindness and understanding, to wMch the -writer of this note can testify. To those who worked closely with Mm, Ms advice and friendliness were of the greatest value. By Ms death, the Society has lost a personality whose memory wiU be revered and honoured. SH Thomas Neame wUl go down Hi the history of the Kent Archseological Society as one of its most influential and respected Presidents. G.W.M. 237 OBITUARIES PROFESSOR D. E. STRONG, M.A., D.Phfl., F.S.A. PROFESSOR Donald Strong died very suddenly, on 21st September, 1973, at Nicaea, Turkey, where he was on an archseological visit. Dr. Strong occupied the ChaH of the Archseology of the Roman Provinces at the Institute of Archseology, University of London, after a distinguished career at the British Museum where he had estabhshed himself as a leading authority on Greek and Roman art. Though he was a recent member of our Society and Ms tenure at the Institute cut short by his untimely death, Professor Strong wiU be sadly missed by Ms host of friends of any standing and students present and past. Behind the obvious scholarsMp upon wMch were solidly based both the erudition of Ms lectures and the warm-hearted humour of then dehvery, he was above aU a man who did not spare Mmself Hi the service of Ms coUeagues, friends and students; the members of the Eccles Training Course were probably his last student audience and theH enthusiastic acclaim of Ms lecture to them was but a smaU return for Ms unstinted efforts on theH behalf at a time of fading health. His study at the Institute was always open to aU caUers, usuaUy at the expense of Ms leisure, and many wUl readdy recaU and miss the warmth of Ms welcome and the stimulus of Ms conversation. When thne wUl have absorbed the shock of Donald Strong's death, we shaU both mourn the passing of the scholar and friend and remember with gratitude what he so gladly gave us—Mmself! dvhp&v imcfravabv iraoa yrj rdcfros. A.P.D. 238