David Raeburn sadly passed away on Monday 1 February 2021 at the age of 93 years. David taught Classics at Bradfield from 1955 to 1958 and retained links to the College and the Classics Department and the Greek Theatre throughout his life. During his time at Bradfield he directed two Greek plays: Oedipus Coloneus (1955) and Agamemnon (1958). He became Headmaster of Beckenham and Penge Grammar School and later of Whitgift School (1970-91). Since retirement, he worked as a lecturer in Classics at New College, Oxford where as recently as July 2020 he took part in a series entitled 'New College Reads to You' where David read from his own translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses, the recording of which you can listen to here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWQtp3bosx8

No one will forget the last time that David was at Bradfield when he delivered an introductory talk before the final performance of the Greek Play 'Persae' on the evening of 29 June 2017 (see the photograph above). Introduced by the Headmaster, his knowledge of Classics and his delivery was a very special occasion in Greeker.

During an interview with the Open University recorded on 16 July 2018, he mentioned his time at Bradfield and the Greek Plays, the transcript of which can be read here: http://www.open.ac.uk/arts/research/pvcrs/2019/raeburn-interview

Terence Finley (A 56-61) pays his tribute " David Raeburn was the very best of Bradfield when I arrived there in 1956 and until he moved on",

We will be featuring an obituary for David in the summer Bradfieldian magazine. We welcome any memories from those who were taught by him or remember him and his connection to Bradfield and the Greek plays. You can share any memories by commenting below.

Please see below the links to the obituaries recented posted in the Guardian and Telegraph newspapers:

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/mar/18/david-raeburn-obituary 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2021/05/03/david-raeburn-classics-teacher-translator-directed-greek-plays/

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/david-raeburn-93-head-teacher-and-classicist-who-taught-at-oxford-into-his-nineties-rp6w59lz7