ALBERT EASTHAM, BA(Admin), MSc, MA, DipEd, MBIM
Albert Eastham sadly passed away 23rd December 2024 aged 90. He was married to his beloved wife Tricia whom he met at the Intervarsity Club in Oxford in 1972 and married in 1973. Albert is survived by his wife, three children and seven grandchildren.
In attempting to relate such a life as this is indeed a daunting and one, I approach with considerable misgiving!
Albert was born in Blackburn and attended Queen Elizabeth’s before attending Manchester University where he graduated with honours in Business Administration for his first degree, followed by a Dip Ed. from University of Wales. It was at this time he was appointed to the English Department and Head of General Studies, at school where he clearly made his mark as an enthusiastic and competent teacher which was to be the hallmark of the entirety of his life and wide-ranging career.
To list all Albert’s prodigious career achievements is literally breathtaking. Having left QEGS employment he went into administration with Warwickshire County Council, before lecturing at the Oxford College of Technology, Birmingham University and a 12 months sabbatical as Visiting Professor at Haile Selassie University Ethiopia. Accompanying this he has had so many visiting lectureships /consultancy jobs in the United Arab Republic, Estonia, Vietnam, Mauritius, Australia, Ghana, Pakistan, Swaziland, The Gambia, Guyana, India, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Columbia and Peru and the US …….to name but a few. These numerous consultancies and lectureships were often during his vacations from his permanent role from 1975 to his retirement as the Senior Lecturer in Public Administration and Management at Oxford Brookes University.
He was author of no less than 7 professional publications associated with administration and management. Alongside this work his academic studies were pursued gaining an MA from Kent, Membership of the British Institute of Management and an MSc from Brunel University.
Given this exhausting list if that were insufficient Albert was a keen fell walker, mountaineer, swimmer…climbing the peaks in the Lake District together with Mounts Kenya and Kilimanjaro.
A life member of the Royal Life Saving Society and the Youth Hostels Association
He was a devout Christian and attendee at his Oxford Church and a Lay Preacher.
My words about the challenge of doing full justice to a man [whom I met when I joined the staff at School in 1964, became firm friends and in constant contact ever since,] of such energy enthusiasm and commitment to life in general and of course his devoted family was SOME challenge,
There will be a memorial service for Albert……Friday 21st February at 1pm
St. Andrews Church, Linton Road, Oxford OX2 6UG
No sombre clothes please by request!
Barry R. Brown
President
Old Blackburnian Association
