The Haileybury Society is saddened to learn of the death of David Christopher – “Jacko” – Jackson (C 52), who died suddenly on 31st December 2020, aged 82. We publish below an obituary written by his friend, David Crichton (Tr 52).

David came to Haileybury in the Summer of 1952, joining Colvin in a period (the 1950s) when Haileybury would embark on an annual Shakespeare Tour inspired by Edgar Mathews. Though never claiming to be any sort of actor, David saw an opportunity too good to miss and so auditioned for a part (2nd Soldier!) in the cast of Macbeth, touring the USA and Canada in c.1955 with a show in which a teenage Alan Ayckbourn was playing Macduff on what was – apparently – a memorable tour…

“We went over on the Queen Mary and we came back on the Queen Elizabeth – the first, not the second – and that in itself was worth all the money in the world: a group of public schoolboys, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, getting themselves absolutely slewed all the way over – it was wonderful. And this was touring gone mad, because we had all the joy of touring with none of the professional responsibility… It was a very strange tour, but we did see a hell of a lot of America by Greyhound coach” – Ian Watson: Extracts from Conversations with Ayckbourn (Faber, 1981).

National Service and the Marines

While still at Haileybury David joined the RMFR in order to ensure that when called up for National Service he would be guaranteed enlistment into the Royal Marines. Consequently In 1956, along with 5 other Haileyburians, he attended a 2 week Schools’ Entry Summer Camp at the Royal Marines training Centre at Lympstone.

Called up for National Service in 1957, David served in the Royal Marines between 1957 and 1959. Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant, he served in the UK, Malta, on exercises in Libya and latterly RM Barracks, Eastney, also taking part in the Royal Tournament 1958. He was always intensely proud to have served as a Royal Marine and thoroughly enjoyed his time there.

After completing two years’ National Service he served a further 3 years’ in the RMFVR (now RMR). He used fondly to recall how once, when returning from a weekly Reservists’ Drill night in uniform he was pulled over by the police for speeding but on recognising his RM shoulder flashes, the PC waved him on.

Family business

After National Service, realising that if he followed his ambition to train as a Vet there would be no one to continue the family Jewellery business ( his Father had died the previous year ) David opted to serve an apprenticeship working for a Jeweller in Eastbourne before taking over the family shop in Watford. The Jewellers has been in the family since 1876, moving to the present premises in the 1950’s. David therefore became the fourth generation of the family to run the business. His son Dan, now running the business as the fifth generation , says of him,

” He would read absolutely everything. As a son giving him a birthday or Christmas present, my challenge was to find a book that he would find boring – and I never managed it. He was absolutely fascinated by everything. History was his great love and passion and obviously the shop, so with us selling antiques (that’s what we specialise in) he would find as much of the history as he could behind objects. He was a fellow of the gemmology association and so his knowledge and expertise on jewellery was excellent and he loved to research the history behind things.”

Hugely popular

In addition to his love of history and reading, David enjoyed walking, cooking, gardening, nature and his family. He was also a huge rugby fan and coached Chiltern RFC to three unbeaten seasons.One can get some idea of the popularity and the esteem in which he was held locally by his customers, with close on a hundred messages of sympathy and condolence which appeared on the website of the local paper. “Such a lovely shop and people.” “He was a real gentleman, we loved chatting to him when we visited the shop.” Watford has lost a star that shone. The best jewellery shop I have ever known” to mention just a few.

David adored his 11 grandchildren. (6 by his first marriage and 5 “inherited” through second marriage and 1 great granddaughter). Indeed he had a natural, enviable, empathy with all children and could always be relied upon to keep them entertained either by making toys for them, introducing them to wildlife or captivating them with his own “imaginary stories”.

When not at work or entertaining his grandchildren, he liked nothing more than driving his tractor around the fields adjoining Green Tye, the family home at Croxley Green. He also enjoyed long distance walking; indeed, I personally had the memorable experience(s) of accompanying him, together with Roger Billington (C 52), on a number of Long Distance Trails including the West Highland Way; the SW Coastal Path; Hadrian’s Wall and the Pennine Way; and the Cotswold Way.

David is survived by his widow Nikki, his two sons and daughter, two wonderful stepdaughters, a host of grandchildren, step-grandchildren and one great grand-daughter, all of whom he adored as much as they did him.