David's Broader Life
David had a broad range of interests besides economics. He was an enthusiastic walker and adored climbing the mountains and hills of Scotland and the Lake District. Many family holidays were spent in these beautiful places.
Another passion was music. David loved all kinds of classical music which was all we ever heard on the radio or on records.Perhaps a good way to end this “Life” is to quote from a piece written by David’s grandson Robert, son of Eleanor and Tom Stanier. Tom read it at David’s memorial service since Robert was in India. Robert Stanier had been an undergraduate at Magdalen College reading Greats:
It was a late summer morning four years ago, and my tutor at the time, being a young and trendy type, suggested that we have the tutorial outside. So we sat down to discuss my essay on the grass in Longwall Quad. After a few minutes, though, I caught sight of David, wheeling his bicycle in through the gate. He put it on the bike stands and methodically locked it up, took off his helmet and his cycle clips and began to walk steadily around the path towards the SCR Dining Room to claim his free lunch. When he looked up, he caught sight of me waving and came towards us. My tutor was not quite sure what to make of this man. I explained that he was my grandfather and as David came across, he had a smile on his face. It was the day after the General Election and Labour had finally returned to power. I asked if he was pleased, and David said that he was, but he assured my tutor that New Labour was not really him; in fact he was not just Old Labour, he was Dinosaur Labour! My tutor laughed. Then, after a short conversation, David took himself off, and as he walked away, I caught my tutor looking away at him. He seemed partly in awe at this distinguished college figure who had been walking the quads of Magdalen for over fifty years yet was still completely on the ball, and partly amused: after all, David did strike a somewhat comic figure with his bright yellow sash to ward off traffic, and his trousers tucked into his socks and it was improbably bizarre that someone of his years would still be cycling into college.
As for me, I looked at David largely with pride.
In part, I took pride in the simple fact that he was the oldest Fellow in the College and that he was my grandfather. Yet, I was also proud because he was someone who had not given up his principles, be they political—he was still supporting Labour and had got some reward at last—or just with regard to cycling; he was still using the bicycle stands long after all the other fellows were behind the steering wheels of their cars.David died on 18 May 2001. I was as proud of him at his death as I was when he came to visit me in nursery school when I was three and brought me my lunch. He was deeply honest and taught us always to tell the truth, a lesson which has stood me in good stead throughout my life. The reason he eschewed joining any government as a policy maker was precisely that he did not want to compromise with the truth in any way. He was a dedicated teacher who cared passionately about his students and the lessons he taught them. He was consistently a public servant in many areas throughout his life. His writing was clear and accessible and always relied on the evidence as it was presented. He made his passionately held case for full employment policy whenever he could. He was disappointed that the Golden Age was never repeated because of his deep compassion for the unemployed. He was a good man who was much loved.