Page 12 - Flaming Cauldron – Issue 55

ACC ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

The Last Post

duties, he was shot at in Charlottenburg During his mastership Alan worked
by a Soviet agent and had the scar on hard to forge links between the Cooks’
his ankle as a souvenir of this incident. Company, civilian and military cater-
I don’t know how he explained this to ing organisations and establishments.
Dottie but he did, and she never knew He became the Company’s Almoner, a
of his other life for years. duty he undertook with his usual care
His final posting was to ACC and attention to detail. Alan joined the
Records in Blandford, ideal for him Reunion des Gastronomes in 1967, was
as Dottie and her family were all elected President in 1980 and enjoyed
Devonians. Settling down in Exeter was membership for more than 50 years. He
the icing on the cake enabling him to was for many years Honorary Almoner
put his Instructor‘s Course to good use and was assiduous in his duties in car-
with soon becoming Senior Lecturer at ing for members who were unwell or in
Exeter College of Further Education on need. Alan was a true gentleman, caring
OND & HND Courses. In addition, he and compassionate, and a stalwart of the
set up an outside catering company with hotel industry, he will be much missed.
a retired RN Caterer. Alan G Fairbrass Alan died in St Mary’s Paddington
He was a brilliant Chef, organiser Alan was known to many in hospitality on 17th March and leaves behind Jules
and a proud member of the ACC. In his as he was a lifelong industry professional Dawton his partner for over thirty years.
spare time he was a fine squash player, where he trained at Westminster Hotel Editor: Thanks to Neville Watson and
competing in the Berlin Squash league School and completed national ser- others for providing some information
Premier Division and beating people vice in the Army Catering Corps. He about the fascination life and career of Alan
many years his junior. He was also a was posted to Scotland as a Sergeant Fairbrass.
keen fisherman and golfer. Colin was cook instructor. His early hotel career
a real gentleman, extremely loyal, had included positions at the Charing Cross WO1 Kenneth Fryer sadly passed away
a fantastic sense of humour and was a Hotel, Browns, Park Lane, Kensington on 19th March 2020 at Frimley Park
real family man, doting on Dottie, his Palace and Stratford Court Hotels. Hospital having contracted Coronavirus.
girls and the grandchildren. He was also Alan’s time with British Transport
a keen gardener, dog lover and enjoyed Hotels also included a spell at the Great Captain Andrew Gibson sadly passed
planning foreign adventures for himself Eastern Hotel, Liverpool Street and as away on 27th May 2020.
and Dottie. Colin died unexpectedly on manager of the Station Hotel, Dumfries
23rd December 2019 and was cremated where he made many of his friends most
in Exeter and Devon Crematorium on welcome. He left Dumfries to join the
9th January 2020. Westbury in 1961 where he became
En route to the funeral the hearse manager.
suffered from a puncture and the tyre It was around this time that
needed to be replaced; Colin, late for his Alan started a long association with
own funeral, he would have loved that. St George’s Hanover Square which
His coffin was born into the crematorium included being a Church Warden
by his sons-in-law and Grandsons to the between 2002-2006 and a faithful
tune Bring me Sunshine and departing server right up until early March this
to Tina Turner’s Simply the Best. The year. Alan had a pastoral heart, always
retiring collection raised £400 in aid of discreetly noticing and helping out
the Brompton Cystic Fibrosis Fund. I sit others in their need. During his impres-
here with a glass of red wine in my hand sive career in hospitality, the British
listening to his favourite group Status Tourist Authority awarded him a bronze
Quo thinking of all the good times we medal for his assistance with the ‘Come
shared. Colin Drumey, husband, father, to Britain Campaign – Great Hotels of
soldier, chef, lecturer, friend and all round London 1975.’ Dear Editor, I am writing to inform you
good guy, I salute you. Rest In Peace dear Alan joined the Worshipful of the death of former ACC S/Sgt Keith
friend, you will be sorely missed you were Company of Cooks of London as a Walter Hodges (1951-2019) who sadly
Simply the Best. Freeman in 1971, became a Liveryman passed away on Christmas Eve 2019. He
in 1991 and was elected Master in was born in Ross on Wye on 11th July
Kindly provided by WO1 EK (Tabs) Talbot
2009 where one of his consorts during 1951 and joined the Army in 1967 as an
ACC & lately Maj (QM) STAFFORDS.
this time was Dame June Whitfield. Apprentice Chef, passing out in 1970.
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