The Haileybury Society is saddened to learn of the death of Charles Basil Hoctor-Duncan (K 50) who has died at the age of 85 on 12th April 2022.

Charles was born in Plymouth in September 1936 before the family moved to the Kent and Sussex area and, aged seven, Charles was enrolled as a boarder at Brambletye Prep. At 13 he moved to Haileybury, joining Kipling House in 1950.

A career in insurance

After leaving Haileybury, Charles undertook National service as part of the 13/18th Royal Hussars, spending time in the UK and Germany. He then went into the City, working as a Managing Agent in the lively insurance market of Lloyd’s of London This heralded the start of what would become a lifelong and successful career in the City of London predominantly for RK Harrison

A passion for travel and horses

The young Charles had a passion for travel, visiting many parts of Europe by car, particularly Gibraltar and the Swiss Alps and around the world including India and the Caribbean, which he would revisit many times in his later life.

Charles also enjoyed a lifelong love of horse racing and over the years owned or part owned quite a few with varying degrees of success or no success at all. A small exception to this was some notable success with a colt called Haley’s Run.

History of a house

A particular highlight of recent years for Charles was his involvement and contribution to the writing of a book ‘The Tree’ by historian Nadine Hygage. The book chronicles the narrative history of the inhabitants – including Charles – of 103, High Street, Crawley from the 14th century to 2016 when work began to convert it to what is now Crawley Museum.

Charles lived life to the full, he was a resilient man who never lost his generosity, sense of humour or sharp comebacks right up until the end.

In 1968 Charles married Caroline. In 1970, their daughter Kate was born followed by their son Alexander in 1971. Kate is now married to an Old Haileyburian Alexander Meacock (A & BF 80) whose late father, Scott (M 53), was at Haileybury with Charles.

The Society extends its deepest sympathy and sincere condolences to Charles’s family and friends at their loss.