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Andy Mitchell
February 15, 1957 - April 21, 2020
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2021-07-01 10:55:37 View / Comment (0)
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2021-02-19 12:26:04 View / Comment (2)David Lamb
I count myself lucky to have known Andy since we both started at Salesian College in Septemebr 1967 as two fresh faced 10 year olds..The picture attached is of our first time playing together in the under 11 football team. Andy was a natural leader, going from being captain of the under 11s to captain of the school and a leader throughout his carreer in the RAF and NHS. We were close friends throughout the years. Andy spent a couple of half terms at my house when his parents were away in Australia making a huge impression on my parents - so much so that at the age of 15 he was adopted by them as a role model for me. We had our first road trip together at the age of 16. At Andy’s suggestion, having finished our O levels, we set off to Austria for 10 days youth hostelling, travelling by train. In those days, wihtout mobile phones, no one knew where we were until we retuned home. It was a great trip based largely on German sausages and beer, which at 16 seemed to us to be the perfectly balanced a diet. As the comments on here prove, Andy was as authentic a person as you could hope to meet. He was a very loyal friend, but also very competitive, both academically and on the sports field. During out time in Austria, Andy’s father sent him a telegram with his O level results. I can still remember what it said - short and to the point. 10 1’s and one 2 (Add Maths). Fantastic results, but Andy and I both knew that despite his being the best results in the school, I had still managed to beat him in Add Maths - so our friendly rivalry continued! We played in some great football matches together - remember the 4-0 defeat of Salesian Bootle ? I was fortunate to be able to carry on playing with him during our time at university in London, despite us going to different universities. In our second year we somehow ended up playing for a team of Greek Kebab shop owners in North London whilst both separately playing for our universities as well. Then, in my third year, we shared a student house together in Catford. Andy was now captain of the 1st team at Guys and so it came to be that I ended up playing regularly for the Guys first team as well as my own university. As it happened, Guys managed to win the league that year! After university, as we started out on our careers, we continued to stay in touch, going to each other’s weddings and also to the weddings of our children. Andy , his wife Mary, myself and my wife Sally would meet up for supper a few times at year, and with Mark Dunning’s help, the three of us met regularly for a beer. Most recently just a few weeks before Andy’s untimely and very sad death. I think of Andy a lot. I wonder how I missed the signs of his illness and whether there was more I could have done to help. He was a really genuine friend and is missed by us all.
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2021-02-17 11:27:42 View / Comment (0)
Reading through others reflections here I was particularly struck by Simon Worte’s comment that Andy was “essentially [a ] private person”. I had to think about that. After all Andy won all the prizes, no team photograph was complete without him, and he was even in that rather strange pipe and drum band that I'd completely forgotten about. He was head boy. How could this very public figure, this serial achiever throughout his life, be said to be private? But I think Simon is spot on. When I look again at this page’s photograph of the good looking man with the enigmatic half smile I see also those warmly appraising eyes and the measured look; it is the look of an interviewer putting a candidate at ease but giving nothing away about himself. I do think Andy was very reserved, but never cold or aloof. I think he thought deeply about things, perhaps too much. I think he was intuitively kind and we all knew it - how else can it be that everyone liked him, and that a man of such obvious talents excited no jealousy or spite. I was not one of Andy’s close friends at school but when a few years ago late at night I needed to call upon his medical expertise and advice, it was provided so quickly and comprehensively that I almost believed he was there waiting for me to get in touch. I saw Andy only rarely, the last time some five or so years ago at the Farnham meet-up when we agreed, as you do, to meet for drink in London and, as is often the case, it never happened. That was a great shame. Andy was a good man and I will miss him.
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2021-02-19 21:15:22 View / Comment (0)
Chris Waite
Despite my five years at the Salesian and playing football alongside Andy for both the Salesian and St Aidan’s house teams, I never got to know him that well at all. Never being in the same classroom as him didn’t help, I guess. But what I saw from the sidelines was someone who excelled at everything he did, be it any sport or any academic subject. I’ve no idea how true this is but I have always had this recollection that while most of us took seven O’levels in 1973, Andy took ten and achieved grade As in all of them. I was very good at plagiarising other people’s homework and Andy must have been kind enough to let me borrow his homework on at least one occasion as I distinctly remember how neat his handwriting was compared to mine and everyone else’s. Yes, he really was good at everything! Extremely personable, liked by everyone, always calm and collected, and to cap it all he wasn’t a bad looking lad either. It was no surprise to me, whatsoever, when I learned that Andy put all of his intellectual ability into helping others while making it all the way to the top of the career ladder. As I said, I never knew him that well at all but I knew a very special person when I saw one.
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2021-02-12 15:16:57 View / Comment (0)
Simon Worte
That Andy was unusually capable and talented as a student and sportsman, was soon apparent when he arrived at Salesian College, to the best of my recollection, in September 1967. This was the top year of the "Preps" before we went through the Eleven Plus and into the "Main School" His seemingly effortless achievements in the classroom and sports field were really the result of his great application as well as his natural ability. One could only admire this. For all his achievements Andy remained a modest, and it seemed to me, an essentially private person. However, he seemed particularly suited to the academic challenges and community life and camaraderie that Salesian College provided and he flourished, setting the standard for our year throughout his time as a border and finally as head boy. He really represented the best that the Salesian College at Farnborough aimed to bring out in us in many ways.
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2021-01-25 13:54:38 View / Comment (0)
Cliff Taylor
Andy was a role model for all of us in the year below him. He was so talented in many ways and at the same time such a good person, friendly and supportive to everyone in the school. He was an inspirational leader, both in the sports he captained (just about every sport!) and as school captain. Although I never kept in touch after leaving school, his influence has stayed with me, and I was hugely saddened to learn about his passing away in 2020.
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2021-01-23 18:40:17 View / Comment (0)
Simon Moore
Andy was my closest friend at school and we then both went to Guy’s Hospital to study medicine. Amazingly we then both decided to join the Armed Services and continued to keep in touch throughout his life. Andy was my inspiration - always trying to keep up academically but never succeeding. We both did Physics, Chemistry and Biology A levels and have fond memories of our time in Mrs Grant’s class. Andy was good at everything and as far as I can remember seemed to be Captain of every sport - except tennis. It was the only game I could beat him at! He was an excellent actor and I always remember him playing Macbeth at school. Not surprisingly he became head boy and I was thrilled to be his deputy. He was such an example to all of us and was popular with everyone. He had no enemies and we all respected him hugely. We all knew he was going to be successful. What a shock for all of us when he failed Oxbridge. How was that possible - academically strong, head boy and captain of most sports. He loved his time at Guys and again excelled. He Captained the Guy’s Hospital football team and also played for the University of London Team. He travelled widely with the Air Force and then became a consultant Paediatrician at Basingstoke District Hospital. With his huge talent he was soon running the Department. Andy then went on to help run the NHS in London - a really massive and stressful job. We always kept in touch even though it was sometimes rather sporadic. He was one of my dearest and best friends and he is sadly missed.
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2021-01-18 12:45:37 View / Comment (0)
Patrick Wills
The 1968 intake of 11 year olds at the Salesian College Farnborough was the biggest ever if I recall, with 3 classes and around 90 pupils from all walks of life. Andy stood out as someone special from the start, and he was one of those people that everybody liked and respected. Academically brilliant, a great sportsman and above all a fair and genuine person. In the third year I lost my Geography book with all my notes, and Andy offered to lend me his book each evening so that I could take it home and copy his notes. It's probably why Geography became my strongest subject at 'O' and 'A' level! It was typical of him to help someone out. Once we had all left Salesian our paths would cross at the reunions that we held every few years. Andy attended every one of them, and he was always the same - modest, witty, honest, down to earth - and always great company. As we all know Andy had a remarkable career in the RAF and the NHS, and he has left his mark in so many ways. He was one of the most impressive people I have ever met, and he will never be forgotten. Rest in peace.
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2021-01-11 13:30:24 View / Comment (0)Mark Dunning
Me and Andy in my back garden 1974 or 1975. He came to stay for weekends sometime at my home in London.
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2021-01-11 13:29:06 View / Comment (0)Mark Dunning
1974 Pipe & Drum Band. Andy was the leading side drummer that year.
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2021-01-11 13:30:34 View / Comment (0)
Mark Dunning
Throughout our school years, obviously being boarders, we became like brothers / family, without knowing at the time, that we would continue with a life-long friendship. Andy excelled at everything and was the 'gold standard' which we all aspired to try to emulate. In adult life we met perhaps once a year with some of our other 'brothers' from schooldays to have a beer and not only reminisce but to enjoy each others' company up to 50 years after first meeting! The most recent being just eight weeks before the tragic end to a wonderful person and a so worthwhile, valued and successful life. May he rest in peace.
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2021-01-11 12:02:31 View / Comment (0)
Alan Ebbage
I knew Andy as a highly successful yet modest character who would always find time to talk to people. I got to know him better on a Salesian football team tour in C. 1972 when the college team stayed at the Salesian College, Bootle. Two memories have stuck with me from that tour: Andy told me he had persuaded some members of the team not to spray me with water whilst asleep (like they had done to other players). He never explained why, but I was grateful none the less. The second one was the disciplined way Andy conducted himself, this included always rigorously wiping the soles of his feet before getting into his bed. The last and very fond memory I have Andy was a bus ride from the Fulham football ground to Waterloo after a Salesian reunion at the Fulham ground in June 2018. We talked on multiple subjects and he was a joy to be with. I hope everyone can remember Andy's smile - totally disarming!
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2021-01-11 11:27:26 View / Comment (1)Alan Ebbage
This is the Under-15 football team, including Andy as captain. The season included a tour of the Salesian colleges in the Bootle area,
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Steve Burton
Steve Burton
When I first met Andy it was clear that he was a much respected and loved member of the Salesian community. He was always friendly and poised and had a great competitive streak. I remember running against him in the sprint competition on Sports Day and just beating him over the line and then him questioning me about my running spikes, diet and lunchtime training. He was always competitive but not ruthlessly, just driven. Andy frequently had a kind word to share but could also make you laugh with his commentary on school life and later his observations on life in general. It was always a high point of any reunion to chat to him and see his professional and family life blossom. He was a special person in all these areas and will undoubtedly have left a void but more importantly a magnificent contribution that he, and everyone who knew him, can be proud of. 
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