Rosemary Durward (Baker) 1958-2024

Aside from Rosemary’s academic interests at LEH, she enjoyed playing lacrosse (in those days played with a wooden stick strung with cat gut), playing the piano and singing in the school choir. Sitting on the hard floor cross-legged during morning assembly was thus avoided as all choir members were provided with a chair.

The seeds of her passion for plant life were sown at LEH where she was an enthusiastic member of the Gardening Club. The plot was, if memory serves, the only one to have a plastic pond, the installation of which was a memorable event and required parental intervention!  This early interest in gardening continued with her delightful garden in Cobham, and more recently with her garden in Hampshire and with the creation of a quiet garden, a project which was very close to her heart.

When not at school, Rosemary could often be found sailing her bright yellow Firefly ‘Yellow Fever’ either on the Thames with the Tamesis Sailing Club or during the holidays with her family at Bosham. After studying International Relations and Politics at The University of Aberystwyth, Rosemary went on to complete a post graduate degree at The University of Aberdeen.

She began her career at the Royal United Services Institute, which is the UK’s defence and security 'think tank’ – and the world’s oldest. This led to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst where she worked in the Defence and International Affairs department as a Senior Lecturer and Ministry of Defence Civil Servant.

Here she developed her interest and expertise in the intersection between war and religion, going on to co-lead CCADD (Church on Christian Approaches to Defence and Disarmament). She said that her experience at Sandhurst gave her a love for the ceremonial, and with it, a passion for training, education and development. 

It was also here that she met her future husband Keith, a Captain in the Royal Signals: he was one of her students and a keen sailor. The pair settled in Cobham and had three children Jamie, Camilla and Hugo.

In 2011, after 20 years of service, Rosemary took voluntary early retirement from the Ministry of Defence. She trained for ordination, studying part-time for an MA in Theology for Christian Ministry and Mission, alongside formational training for ordination.

During her distinguished career in the clergy, she had placements at Saint Bride’s Church in Fleet Street and St John’s Church, Notting Hill, before going on to become a deacon at Winchester. During her ministry at Saint Martin’s Church, East Horsley, she was appointed as Duty Chaplain at Westminster Abbey and as Chaplain to the High Sheriff of Hampshire.

In September 2020, Rosemary took up the reins as National Chaplain to the Guild of Vergers. She continued in this role until ill health prevailed and she felt she should step aside. The National Executive wanted to mark her brief but influential time there and appointed her a National Life Member.

She was held in such high regard that a large number of them attended her funeral and formed a Guard of Honour in the churchyard at Holy Trinity, Privett, her final resting place, in a beautiful spot overlooking the Hampshire countryside.