Richard Duggan RIP - a memoire

Richard Duggan was born on Munich day (September 30th 1938). One of his early classmates remembers him as having an air of gravitas - not expected in an eleven-year old - as far back as 2 alpha in 1950, but this belied a personality which was more likely to find fun and laughter in even the most serious subject.

Richard had an unusual hand in the mathematical education of members of 2A in that first year. For a reason that has never been explained, for a few weeks in September 1950, form 2A had all the 'wrong' teachers - Bomba O'Brien for Science, Johnny Mullen for History, and Richard's older brother Arthur (Dixie), an arts graduate for Maths. Not knowing too much about the subject, Dixie relied on Richard to pass on the appropriate information he had just learned from a proper Maths teacher in 2 alpha. Happily for all, the situation was eventually rectified and not much lasting harm was inflicted by either of the Duggans.

Richard's sense of humour and enthusiasm came out in his later academic career, completing a talk on bull-fighting given to his sixth-form colleagues (A Scientific Society meeting?) with the observation that 'there may be picadors, and there may be matadors, but I prefer Diana Dors', very risque, at the time; his University career made room for participation in a rag week stunt in which three teams of chemistry students attempted to put bedsteads (don't ask!) on the summits of the highest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales - the Scottish attempt failed but in a blinding snowstorm Richard and Co planted their object on the summit of Scafel Pike where it became a object of some bemusement to Lake District walkers for several years. While at Liverpool University, Richard met and later married Theresa O'Malley.

Such adventures did not stop Richard gaining a first class degree in organic chemistry and he immediately joined Unilever where he spent 37 years in a wide variety of roles always associated with innovation. These included Head of Unilever's large detergents, toiletries and chemicals research laboratory at Port Sunlight, founder of the first International Development Unit in Holland, member of the global Unilever Detergents Board, and Group Chairman of Crosfield Chemicals, the international inorganic chemical business. A spin-off from his time at Port Sunlight was his joint work with David Leon, the Architect, on design of buildings and interior space to foster creative output while reducing overall costs. Richard was a visiting professor at John Moores University, a Governor of Bolton School and had many roles associated with effective teaching of science and technology. In his third career, Richard became the Senior Industrial Innovation Advisor to the Innovation Unit, DTI, and set up a company - Duggan Creative - specialising in mentoring organisations in innovation in general , and "break out" creativity in particular.

Richard and Theresa had seven children, all graduates so Richard used to joke about feeling like a vice-chancellor of a small university with similar funding issues - the eldest of whom, Simon, is now Headmaster of St Anselms.

Richard Duggan died on Tuesday 19th August 2008.

May he rest in peace