Past Master Frank E Rehder, CVO

Past Master Rehder's niece Angela, Mrs Keith Potter, has very kindly given permission for us to reproduce below her tribute to her uncle at his funeral last June.

“My uncle was born in Weybridge, Surrey on 4 August 1918. He was educated at Charterhouse & Corpus Christi, Oxford. In addition to his degree, he won a ½ Blue for shooting.

During the Second World War he became a Captain in the Royal Artillery. He fought, and was wounded, in Italy.

He began his law career in Newcastle, and later joined his father's firm, Rehder & Higgs, in London. The company later became Sinclair, Roche & Temperley, and this is where Frank remained for the rest of his career.

He became a leading figure in the field of maritime arbitration, eventually becoming Master of the Worshipful Company of Arbitrators. His private clients included the Duke of Edinburgh, and for this service he was made CVO.

He had a very happy childhood, his life greatly influenced by his two doting elder sisters, Margaret and my mother, Dorsy, both of whom he was able to repay with much help and wise advice in later years – even though they never forgave him for beating them so thoroughly at croquet! They used to gang up against him, and make him play left handed, but he would still win easily! His childhood also saw the beginning of a lifelong passion for trains. At Dulwich, the Golden Arrow used to run past the end of the garden and my mother would describe how he would always race down to watch it. Later, on holiday in Switzerland, he always went to Kandersteg. Every evening, after dinner, he would set off smartly to the railway station for a spot of (punctual) train spotting, with the rest of us dragging along behind.

He remained devoted to his family throughout his life, and gave all of us guidance and encouragement whenever he could. He also helped many others in less fortunate circumstances than his own. He was deeply interested in young peoples' education, because he believed a strong family and a good education vitally important building blocks for a happy and successful career, and as Joyce, John, Jan and Jane, and no doubt everyone else here can confirm, a friendship with Frank was a loyal and dependable friendship for life.

At Chichester, Frank was able to pursue his other great interest, which was gardening. His garden gave him much solace and enjoyment, and although his dahlias there were never to match the blaze of glory he achieved at Dulwich, he was apt to win prizes at the local flower show for his fruit and vegetables; sometimes as much as 25p! This gave him great satisfaction, and provided the ingredients for his famous home-made jam. At Christmas, he would assemble grand nephews and nieces on the floor around his chair, and with suitable ceremony gravely distribute jars of his jam into the expectant hands.

He will be greatly missed by us all, but if there are arbitrations in the Highest Court of All, they now have just the man to work tirelessly to find a fair and reasonable solution to any dispute.

Frank was the rock and head of our family, and it is now time to say good-bye to this kind and gentle man whom I loved. I will miss him.”

Angela Potter