Derek passed away peacefully after a short illness on 23 March 2018, aged 89.
Derek passed away peacefully after a short illness on 23 March 2018, aged 89. He attended Merchant Taylors' School, where he was noteworthy for his great ability at mathematics; it came as no surprise to anyone that, on leaving school at 17, he entered the actuarial profession. In those days, the time taken to study and become qualified was perhaps longer than with any other profession; he qualified (by examination,not election) as a Fellow of the Institute in 1959.
Of course, his studies had been interrupted by two years of National Service, most of which he spent as a civilian working on the secret early development of radar at Malvern.
Derek joined British Equitable Insurance in London, which later became Royal Exchange and then Guardian Royal Exchange.
His great interest was long-distance walking and, in the year 2000, aged 71, he walked 2,000 miles in aid of the Alzheimer's Society.