Douglas Baker (Doug) (1943-1949)
Died 21st December 2022, aged 93.
Douglas Baker, was a well-known OMT with an international rugby career and many years of playing for the OMTs. We include all of the tributes from friends and family later on, but we begin with his own words. they are taken from Douglas’s self-penned article in the Spring 1999 edition of the News Sheet, when he introduced himself at the beginning of his year as OMT President. This is always written by the incoming President, but the convention is that it is written in the third person. So, these are Douglas’s words about his life until then.
The early years of Douglas’s life were cosmopolitan, as he spent his first few months in Las Palmas in the Canary Islands before moving to Alexandria, Egypt. Douglas very much enjoyed these early experiences, but formal education of Convent and The British Boys’ School was considered insufficient by his parents and so cabin trunks and cases were packed and he was sent to the isolated, but very successful, Hillgrove Preparatory School in Bangor, North Wales. There his Classical education and love of rugby was born as he was able to witness the skills of Wilf Wooller and Hayden Tanner in their early days on Bangor University’s rugby ground which was next to the school.
In 1943 secondary school beckoned, and his Head Master entered Douglas for a scholarship to Trent College, which he was duly awarded. However, Douglas’s father, having been at Merchant Taylors’ during the First World War, had other ideas and insisted that he should go to Sandy Lodge. So, telegrams, letters and other communications crossed the Mediterranean at the height of the Africa campaign and Douglas was welcomed by Head Master Norman Birley in September that year. However, no place was available at such short notice in The Manor so his first term at MTS saw him boarding at a house in Moor Park next to Ernie Melly’s. Douglas recalled a long walk every day (except Sunday) down Main Avenue, under the railway bridge and down the length of the school drive, dressed in grey suit, black shoes and school cap.
“D.D.” and Teddy Rider presided over The Manor and “firewatching” and “Doodlebugs” were distractions from good nights’ sleep in the latter part of the war. Douglas had vivid recollections of his years at Taylors’ including the Sunday morning (after Chapel) potato dig in the field between the road to the back gate and The Manor, the news of the dropping of the first atomic bomb on Japan whilst on a scout camp in Hertfordshire, the visits of Group Captain Douglas Bader and Field Marshal Montgomery to cadet parades, the vicious winter of 1947-48 when no heating was available at school because of the lack of coal, overcoats being worn in class and a number of half holidays being declared enabling many boys the opportunity of learning to ice skate on the frozen water meadows and gravel pits.
Leaving School in 1948, with a place secured at Lincoln College, Oxford, Douglas’s intentions of doing his National Service were thwarted by the failure of his medical examination. So, a year in the City of London as a cable clerk filled in the time until university.
At Oxford, Douglas’s sporting commitments on the rugby and cricket fields tended to distract from his academic studies, but he did eventually finish up with an honours degree in Geography! Part of his rugby experiences did help towards his understanding of his degree, as he was lucky enough to travel to France on several occasions with his college team, to Germany with the “Greyhounds” and to Japan with the university in 1952.
After finishing his degree, he entered the world of commerce in the City with a fuel supplier and spent four years with them, but with limited success. Douglas was grateful to the company for allowing him to travel to South Africa with the 1955 British Lions team for three months, and a visit to Canada with the Barbarians two years later. Douglas’s rugby tours also included Japan, Jamaica and much of Europe; his daughter, Caroline, recalls being given a doll after his tours to represent each place.
Having left the City, Douglas moved into the field of education and took up an appointment at High Wycombe Grammar School, before joining Frank Spragg at Oundle in Northamptonshire. Being in close proximity to Northampton, he played one or two games for the town before being persuaded to come to Durrants to continue to play for the Old Boys until 1962, when an opportunity arose to teach in Australia for two years.
This was an exchange with a teacher from Cranbrook School in Sydney and the experiences he had, from sailing in the harbour, holidaying in the early days of Port Douglas and Cairns, travelling to Ayers Rock through the sandhills to the witnessing of “the six o’clock swill”, which was still in vogue in the early 60s, stayed with him.
It was not too long after his return to Oundle that he decided that Australia was the place to be and in 1966 emigrated to Adelaide to take a position at Scotch College, whose Head Master was Charles Fisher, one of the sons of the then Archbishop of Canterbury. Douglas worked there for 25 years before retiring.
In his retirement, Douglas maintained his interest in geography by working for local tour operators around the environs of Adelaide, taking visitors to the vine growing areas of the Barossa Valley, the Southern Vales and the Clare Valley. His hobbies of lapidary and stained glass also meant numerous trips to the Outback, collecting rocks and minerals. Maps always fascinated him, so he also worked in the map room as a volunteer in addition to his community work for the local council.
Douglas was a cultured and perceptive man and was described by his nephew, Toby, as a man at ease with life and the world – who like his father – could hold a conversation with anyone. Possessed of a natural sense of adventure, a passion he passed on to his children, Douglas built friendships wherever he lived.
D.G.S. Baker (second row from top, far right) with the British Lions South Africa tour, 1955
Born in Las Palmas, Douglas was the youngest in a family of 4 with his sisters Jean, Betty, and Beryl. He attended the British Boys School in Alexandria, Egypt, Hillgrove Prep School in Bangor, Wales, and Merchant Taylors’ School before taking up a place at Oxford University. He was a gifted and talented Rugby player representing his university and country on the international stage. He enjoyed a wonderful career as a schoolteacher and fully embraced his life as a cherished colleague and role model to the students in his care during his 30 years at Scotch College.
His life and personality were deeply influenced by the decision of his mother to return to be with their father in Egypt when the war broke out, leaving the four children in Wales in the care of the school headmaster or others during school holidays. He only saw his parents on one or two occasions from the age of 7 until he was 16 and so when they arrived in London after the war offering him a ticket to the Equestrian Olympics - he declined. It was the only time he ever actively protested about being abandoned.
He grew up being genuinely appreciative of friends or others who welcomed him into their homes. However, he often commented upon how these early experiences led him to become resilient, polite, and equable in many social situations, whilst also needing to tolerate being alone for long periods of time. He had to be such a brave little boy, and he remained an incredibly stoic and brave man throughout his life, in the face of many physical and health challenges.
Douglas was a devoted husband, father and grandfather and was loved and revered by men, women, and children alike. He was often referred to as the quintessential English gentleman, but this was not about manners alone. He was a truly gentle and most loving man.
Jan Baker
DGA Baker (front row left) with the England team 1955
Born in Las Palmas, Douglas, my Dad was incredibly well travelled. He and his 3 older sisters also lived as children in Egypt and, during World War Two, in Wales. Holidays were spent on a Welsh Farm where readily available cream and eggs, even in rationed Britain, admirably sustained the Baker children. Perhaps that diet contributing to the subsequent longevity of each of them!
Douglas, with his first wife Anne, my Mum, and children – Jonathan and I - became £10 Poms. In 1962, The Fairsea sailed us to Sydney where Dad took an exchange teaching position at Cranbrook School, and during holidays explored wonders such as The Blue Mountains and Great Barrier Reef with Anne, baby Jonathan and me. In 1964 on board The Iberia, Douglas, and Anne both recalled cold saltwater showers in their separate women with children and men with men 3rd class section! Voyages took Douglas and us all to exotic places such as India, Tahiti, Panama, Aden & the Suez Canal.
While at Cranbrook, Douglas and Anne also drove the red dirt roads of the outback in a convertible Morris 1000 - all of these adventures started with the plan to seek a place to settle permanently.
As fly half for British Lions and Barbarians during the 1950s, Dad's Rugby tours had included Japan, South Africa, Canada, Jamaica and much of Europe. I recall the countries as I was lucky enough to receive a doll representing places my father had toured.
So, with the experience of many countries and cultures, education at Merchant Taylors’ and Oxford University and a teaching opportunity at Scotch College, Adelaide became Douglas's chosen home for the next five or so decades.
In 1960s South Australia, Dad's interest in environment and travel meant for us kids, camping holidays often on the Eyre Peninsula. We'd fill the Holden Station Wagon, Dad packing the foot area in the back to make a bed for Jonathan and I to sleep on, without seatbelts of course! We'd set off at 4am, Mum and Dad taking turns driving the long, long distances and arriving still in the heat of the day to set up tent, close to the sea. The days were spacious and dreamy - Dad stooping to pick up a rock, Mum taking us to learn to swim, Dad teaching us fishing, and how to Billy boil a live crab on Streaky Bay beach. Once, landing 14 Tommy Ruff on Venus Bay jetty!
Time spent with Dad as both child and adult led me to feel he was also an excellent sounding board for gauging one's own views; Dad never pretended he agreed with your opinions! From our home in Blackwood, I remember rides to school, juddering down Windy Point Rd on the back of Dad's Lambretta, Dad regularly reassuring, Mum who was most concerned about the hair-raising curves of the road on the old scooter!
Dad used his skills on the house and garden; he shifted the bush and created a lawn, grew passionfruit and a virulent lily patch - with the help of our healthy sewerage patch! It seemed every weekend Dad laid patio paths, stone features or tiny walls surrounding the house with local stone and slate. In my memory, I hear the drone of cricket on the radio as he planted or polished, cemented, or laid, in his early days in Adelaide.
To us, it seemed Dad's building dreams were brought to fruition much later when he became bricky to Peter Crossing or Mr Doyle putting together his and Jan's holiday home in its wonderful position at Port Willunga. Dad and Jeremy joyfully diving into the clear water of the old port is a memory treasured.
When Tony, my husband, first met Dad and first visited Australia, he was not expecting kangaroos hopping down King William St but neither did he expect to see the Old Merchant Taylors Cricket Team & Douglas fielding on Scotch College grounds in a very English game!
Later Dad and Tony, both enjoying good cricket, joined Douglas' generous friends in an Adelaide Oval box. Tony's expectations of Aussies again was challenged; he was introduced to men who had never left Australia and their wives who had travelled the world!
Douglas' experience of diverse cultures, a good education and his strong connection to places gave him an appreciation of people, no matter their origin. His nephew Toby said Douglas was a man at ease with life and the world - and like his father - he could hold a conversation with anyone.
And for us, Douglas was a father who enjoyed an adventure, taught us to explore and travel and built family and friendships wherever he lived.
In recent years I sent postcards from places Dad enjoyed reminiscing about - France, Istanbul, Italy.
DGS Baker executes an unusual tackle on A Domenech during England's 9-16 defeat to France at Twickenham 1955
Eulogy for Douglas Baker by Jeremy Baker
Today we are here to say goodbye to my father Douglas Baker. He was the beloved husband of Jan, my mother, and a much-loved brother, father, uncle, grandfather, father-in-law and highly revered colleague and school master to so many students. He was a cherished and loyal friend, and we are thrilled that you can be with us today. We would like to thank you for your wonderful emails, phone calls, texts, and cards, including those from friends who cannot be here today. We will treasure these along with the speeches that have been given this morning highlighting other special times and aspects of Douglas's life. We are indebted to Peter Crossing for all he has done in liaison with Scotch College to help us coordinate this Memorial Service today.
I would like to share some of my special thoughts about Dad along with those from Mum who was with Douglas for over 50 years.
His early life experiences and personality were quite unique. As Fiona mentioned he was brought up in the Golden Era, especially in Egypt where a relaxed lifestyle and martinis flowed freely. Dad often talked about this happy early childhood with his parents and 3 sisters, recalling the favourite family ritual of vanilla ice-cream treats when they went shopping at the markets in Alexandria. Even on the day before he died his eyes lit up at the offer of an ice-cream.
However, he was also a war child, and we can only try to imagine what it was like to be sent to a boarding school in Wales at the age of 7 years, and later to Merchant Taylors’ boys boarding school and not able to see your parents more than once or twice over the next 9 years. Dad told vivid stories of having the 'doodlebugs' with their dull throbbing engines flying over his school at night, being farmed out to different families willing to take him with his sisters during school holidays. This shaped each of their accents and personalities in very different and unique ways. He always paid tribute to his sisters and their care of him during those difficult times. Even now, it seems hard for me to think that as a 20yr old he had to have petrol, meat, and food rations. Maybe it explains why he always kept every rubber band and piece of string in the kitchen drawer and had total conniptions if we threw something out even when broken beyond repair.
Dad always spoke most warmly of his days at Merchant Taylors’ School and paid tribute on many occasions to the quality of teaching and exceptional pastoral care that he received from his Headmasters and teachers. He said this made him a better person throughout his life and that his excellent education and the care of the staff really mattered. Mum mentioned that even when he was his most frail when she was working alongside him, she could always ask him for the correct spelling of words, or the appropriate grammar, and his classical Latin roots never faded. Over the years, he wrote the most beautiful letters to Mum, and in a handwriting with a flourishing signature that all could recognize. As his son, I have no knowledge of Latin roots, and I tried for years to develop a signature with the Douglas Baker pizzazz but have never quite cracked it.
He loved his days at Oxford- admitting that he recalled more about the rugby tours than the intellectual rigours of reading Geography and Geology. However, he continued to be passionate about gardens and the countryside along with the origins of volcanoes and earthquakes, rocks, and crystals, and he was always able to name the capital city of any country in the world.
I have truly loved and continue to treasure my British roots. I was so lucky to visit England with Mum and Dad and I couldn't help noticing all the adoring men and women who recalled his being a British Lion. Yes, they commented on his being a truly gifted player, but they spoke more often about his sportsmanship and the man himself. This has always stayed with me.
In recalling their trips back to the UK almost every second year since their marriage, Dad often said he was very touched by the incredible warmth and hospitality of each Head Master from Merchant Taylors’ during these visits, some of whom came to stay with Mum and Dad or visit them in Adelaide years later.
The highlights of these trips to the UK were being with their special of group of OMT friends and their wives along with his sister Beryl and brother-in -law Tom Lant (also an OMT). These wonderful friends arranged amazing dinners, musical events, and trips for them to join travelling to other parts of the UK and Europe, and they have continued to remain in touch with Douglas and Mum all these years.
I too vividly recall visiting some of these UK family members and friends, with their large houses, glass conservatories overlooking lush green lawns, the dusty furniture, and creaky stairs, but above all, the laughter during the long lunches and dinners, the jibing and teasing one another, and the sense of celebration in seeing one another. (I also remember listening to the thump of the bass when staying at Beryl's house in Amersham in 1988... this would have been a rave in field, the beginning of a musical movement that I would enjoy into my 40s.)
As my Dad, I remember him playing Lego with me for hours, making my lunches, taking me to school, creating beautiful cubby houses in the garden, and helping all three of us to join in the life of Scotch College with sports, camping on Mt Remarkable, trips to Goose Island, drama and music. He loved being a teacher, valued his colleagues highly, and had wonderful memories of his students and their unique personalities. For all his worthy qualities, Paul Goode tells the story of Douglas chucking mice into the boat where he and Peter Read were trying to sleep one night. Not always the gentleman Douglas Baker!
Some of our happiest family times were at Port Willunga, where he built a beach house under the beady eye of Ernie Dowler from Scotch College in 40 degree summer heat and formed a lifelong friendship with John and Veronica Mason, Jessica and Alex. Early one morning John drove past our block and saw Douglas in the dark trying to light a fire on the lawn to make billy tea at 6.00am for you know who, later lending them a gas cooker to help when the kindling was damp. Here at Pt. Willunga with so many of our friends including Evan Hiscock, Paul Goode, Pete Crossing, Campbell Whalley, and their families - we played cricket on a snake infested paddock, spent hours on the beach building sandcastles in the sun, surfed on very average waves and enjoyed our long walks to Gull rock. Here too, we shared special times with our very close friends Elaine, Michael and Julian, Patrick and Alison's family, and others who came to stay.
In the 80's and 90's, Dad may have been considered what I am today- a “Metrosexual”. He cooked - and even took cooking classes with the fabulous Bill Doyle which turned into Symphonies on the theme of Philadelphia Cream Cheese which were admired by Robin, Margot and Tony and anyone else lucky enough to be invited. He cleaned, gardened, loved art, theatre and became deeply involved in the classical music that Mum shared with us all through her recitals and singing. He would weep with during the soaring soprano solo of an English choir boy singing Allegri's "Miserere Mei", become visibly emotional with the voice, songs and sentiments of Frank Sinatra and he just loved the thump of John Lee Hooker on the LP lent to us by the famous Jazzologist Peter Crossing. He was very comfortable with gay and straight ....or if he wasn't it was hard to tell, and looking at his John Howard era glasses and woollen jumpers chosen by his wife, it was 90' s heaven.
For many, the essence of Douglas was that he was a true gentleman - not just in the British sense of appropriate manners and diplomacy, but a gentle, kind, man who loved those close to him deeply. We have always noticed that he was loved and respected by both men and women - especially women ..... and by children of all ages. He appreciated the kindness and care of his special friends Patrick and Ray Machim who would take him out for dinner, coffee and drives in the countryside when he was no longer able to drive and he treasured these friendships deeply.
In reflecting a bit more on his personality, he very rarely criticized or put others down. If he did, two or three words summed it up. And in the same way Mum can still smell a rotting lemon as soon as she walks in the front door, Dad could always suss out a social climber, a manipulator, or someone on the make for money, prestige, or position, whether family, friend, or foe. He just knew. For all his gentleness and equable nature, he could also be truly enraged. The nearest to 'violence with a vengeance' occurred when we went through a stage of watching Master Chef. This was at a time when a close family friend was competing – Why else would we admit to watching Master Chef?! At the very sight of the gargantuan Matt Preston in his pink jackets and polka dot cravats, with his short, sleezy, off sider George Combolaris decked out in his non-designer-I'm-too-lazy-to-shave-in¬ the-moming-after-the-night before-grubby-stubble, (can we hear the dulcet tones of a woman here?), it was all we could do to stop him throwing his hefty shoes at the TV screen. And the moment they lifted their pink lippy mouths to comment upon some pretentious twice-risen-twice-shy goat's cheese soufflé, or ticky-tacky reduced sauce not being quite ticky-tacky enough ... "Rage hath no fury" like Douglas Baker on these occasions.
Along with his devotion to his teaching and family life, Douglas also served in the community for over 30 years. He was a member of the Unley Lion's Club, and apart from the stress of dragging Mum kicking and screaming along to these meetings with their flags, badges, bells and whistles and odious odes to Australia Day, he truly enjoyed mucking in and contributing to the BBQ sizzles and raising money for the charity projects such as Save Sight. He remained devoted to his Community Harvest group for over 20 years where they prepared and delivered fruit and vegetables to people who could not go shopping. He loved this work with men and women from all walks of life, and somehow managed to keep lugging heavy boxes of produce to the doors of "really old people" as he called them even through the years of recovering from his ankle reconstruction, and his three major hip-replacement operations. This was the calibre of the man.
One of the words I think of in relation to my father was 'resilience'. I would also say that having a devoted and loving wife who has tended to his every need through all of his operations and other medical issues throughout their marriage probably contributed in a major way to this resilience and his long life. I must admit, some of my strongest memories of the past few years have been of Dad being less mobile, in genuine pain, and sometimes a bit forgetful. But at the same time these sad memories have been coloured by hearing his full-throated laughter and absolute joy with his wonderful grandchildren Eva and Eddy, the wicked humour of my loving wife Fiona, and with family members, Matthew Hulley, Cally, Tony, Lily, Jonathan, and Julia who have visited recently. Perhaps these special experiences along with all the love surrounding him helped him to live a long life.
Mum has often said over the years that her most treasured memories of Douglas will always be that whenever she walked into a room or space, wherever he was, he would look up, smile lovingly at her, and say something generous and tender. She has felt it was such a privilege to have shared a joyous and rich family life with such a special man, and to have been loved and cherished in this way.
Since Mum and Dad have moved to Sydney which was such a feat for them both 5 years ago, I have been most grateful for the opportunity to be more actively involved in Dad's daily life once again, for Fiona and my young family to share in helping him during these more challenging final years.
Some of my most treasured moments have been collapsing together on the couch after a long Christmas lunch or hard-working week and watching the odd rugby match when all have gone to bed. It has been so good to sit quietly together, sipping on a wee dram of forbidden brandy in one of the remaining balloon glasses, letting out the occasional yelp at an umpire missing an on off-side violation or a dangerously high tackle. We have not needed to say much - I have simply loved being with my Father.
In closing, I don't need to tell you that Douglas Baker lived an amazing life, and we have all shared some highlights of our experiences with him today. His legacy will live on with everyone he has touched over the years, especially with his beautiful granddaughter Lily, and our most amazing children Eva Jane and Eddy Santley Baker.
The MTS first XV 1946/47 with Douglas seated on a chair in the front row to the right of the master and Bobby King (1942-1947) seated to the left.
Tony Randall (1951-1957) was privileged to spend several hours in conversation with Douglas Baker and the tribute below is a collection of notes from those conversations.
Early life and Merchant Taylors' School
Douglas' early years were not spent in England like most of his contemporaries at Merchant Taylors' School. Born in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Douglas moved to Egypt while still a baby. Living in Alexandria until age seven then Bangor, North Wales until he was 12 when he entered Merchant Taylors' and The Manor at the midpoint of World War II, 1943.
Douglas' father worked for a large coal company and his work during the war was overseeing the refuelling of British warships. This required him to stay in Alexandria for the duration of the war.
From 1940 to 1946, Douglas and his sisters never saw their parents, leaving Egypt in 1938 for the safety of Wales, where Douglas' father had a close friend, Jim Morgan, who owned a very modest school, attended by no more than 40 boys and girls. For the next five years Douglas and his sisters attended Hillgrove School, and it was here that the seeds of Douglas' formidable rugby talents were nurtured, and his love of the game was born.
Exceptional teachers have long memories and their concern for their former pupils is timeless, Douglas told me. He was greatly moved when Jim Morgan, the Headmaster of his prep school, whom he hadn't seen for 12 years, came to the dressing room to wish him luck on his debut for England at Cardiff in 1955.
Whilst rugby was soon to become central to Douglas' life at Merchant Taylors' School, his memories of life at the school extend far beyond rugby for three years of his time there. His years at Merchant Taylors' were war years and life then was very different to the later, peace time years.
The Housemaster of The Manor, where Douglas boarded for five years, was the Reverend P.B. Davies. Although another Welsh international rugby union player, Douglas had no recollection of him taking an interest in his development as a rugby player.
Douglas' memories of these far-off days were vivid:
Constantly planting potatoes in the field behind The Manor, the slogan of the day was "Digging For Victory".
Food was strictly rationed, not awful but monotonous, porridge, porridge, and more porridge and not enough of anything else. Portions were small.
Towards the end of the war, the Germans commenced their rocket attacks on England. First the V1's then V2's, Doodlebugs. Everyone knew the sound of their engines meant they were safe, and not safe when the engines cut out. Lying in bed at night, Douglas remembers his fear that the sound of the rocket engines might stop.
With the end of the war, the Masters returned, including the Housemaster who replaced P.B. Davies at The Manor, Ted Rider. He had much in common with Johnny Fryers, another Master. Both taught French and German, both were decorated - Fryers with the Military Cross in World War I, Rider the Territorial Decoration, the French Croix de Guerre, and the Belgium Order of Leopold with Palm. The men clearly enjoyed caning Manor boys, not only for major failings but for relatively trivial incidents, such as late back to The Manor, often time away for whatever reason, visiting parents, sport, etc.
At the School, Douglas’ memories included prayers in the Great Hall, half the boys often missing because there were no trains - the railway lines had been cut by German bombs. Most of the Masters who taught at the school in the 1930s were away during the war defending the Country. Only the older Masters stayed, some of whom had fought in the 1914-1918 war, like the feared Johnny Fryers MC, whose principal aim in life seemed to be instilling the maximum amount of fear in the boys to whom he was teaching, caning was common place, public and severe.
Rugby
Much of Douglas' rugby career is well known to many Old Merchant Taylors' teammates but even those he played with him during his wonderful 16 years with the club 1948 to 1964, a total of 255 games, may be surprised by some of rugby memories:
Dropping a goal whilst still a school boy, from near the halfway line against Stowe.
Touring Canada with the Barbarians, overwhelmed by Canadian hospitality, dinners, dances, and skiing.
Playing representative rugby for so many teams in the 50's; Middlesex, London Counties and Combined Old Boys, England. Douglas at one period played eight games in 10 days!
Douglas vividly recalled the day Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile. He was training on a pitch adjacent to the Oxford University running track, Iffley Road, whilst Bannister was shattering the record for the first time in history. Everyone in the park, Douglas remembers, was shouting with excited voices, "He's done it! He's done it!"
As well as his 255 games for the OMTs, no one could have been more loyal to his club than Douglas. With his formidable talents, he could have played for any of the leading clubs in England - Harlequins, Rosslyn Park, Saracens - but he chose to stay where his heart was and where he enjoyed his rugby the most with his Old Merchant Taylors. Over the years, they became more like family than friends. More than any other Old Merchant Taylor, Douglas had two families, the Bakers and the OMTs.
Douglas’s early rugby heroes were numerous, but he mentioned in particular:
Scrum half, Hayden Tanner and mercurial fly half, Cliff Morgan, both multi-capped Welsh internationals.
Neville Griffin, who died in October 2021, another fly half, with an amazing 400 plus games for Old Merchant Taylors’ and so talented. For much of that time they played together, Douglas played centre.
Tom Lant, who married Douglas' sister. Born in Austria, and an expert skier, for many years a stalwart of the Old Merchant Taylors' First XV.
Gavin Brown (1947-1951), great Old Merchant Taylors' rugby player, captain a few years after Douglas and a great friend.
Johnny Williams, Douglas' other rugby half - scrum half, partner when playing for England. The only scrum half/fly half combination ever for England from Old Boys teams, Old Millhillians and Old Merchant Taylors.
Many more characters, friends, too many to mention but one Douglas cannot omit, the great Irish wing Tony O'Reilly, with whom Douglas toured South Africa with the British Lions in 1955.
Tony thundering down the touchline to score another of his 19 tries that broke the world record for tries in international tests in a single season, is another vivid memory. Tony was only 19 and the pin-up boy of the tour. Later in life he became Ireland's most successful businessman, so much so that at a British Lions reunion, he invited everyone, including wives and partners to his castle in Ireland, wined and dined everyone, provided accommodation, and also paid for all the airfares. An amazingly talented man, outstanding businessman, brilliant wing, large and very like Jomah Lomu, New Zealand rugby star winger. Highly articulate, Tony is a wonderful speaker and very funny.
Teaching
Having spent most of his post rugby days as a school teacher, Douglas' views on learning and discipline could have not been more opposite than those of Johnny Fryers and Ted Rider - fear and nervousness are detrimental. Children's desire to learn, stimulation of interest in a relaxed atmosphere is fundamental to goal teaching and effective learning.
Douglas' views on education were formed and developed first in England, where Frank Spraggs, also an Old Merchant Taylor, persuaded him to join the teaching staff at Oundle. Then for more than 30 years in Australia – first, a two-year spell at one of Sydney's leading private schools Cranbrook, and for more than 25 years at Scotch College, Adelaide in South Australia.
Douglas taught Geography, one of the two subjects he studied at Oxford, the other being Geology, and introduced rugby to the school, previously a "soccer/ football school". For a few years he coached the First XV.
After spending a lot of time with Douglas, first in Sydney, and later in Adelaide, my lasting impressions were of a man who felt he had great good fortune, scaling the heights of world class rugby and reached the pinnacle of his sporting career, yet stayed the most modest of men living a simple uncomplicated life, caring about others, courteous, humorous, and empathetic.
Douglas felt greatly honoured when the Old Merchant Taylors' Society appointed him President, the first president in the long history of the Society that had been appointed whilst living in a country other than England. "I did a lot of travelling, that year, and a lot of speaking," Douglas recalled.
It is obvious talking with Douglas that people have been a very important part of his life. First and foremost, his family, his wife Jan, his daughter, two sons and three grandchildren.
Simon (Bing) Brown (1966-1973) attending DGS Baker's memorial service.
Old Merchant Taylors’ Society Tribute given by Simon Brown (1966-1973) on behalf of the Merchant Taylors’ Society.
Jan, Jeremy, Family and Friends, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to provide this tribute to Douglas on behalf of the Old Merchant Taylors’ Society.
Douglas, like me, was a boarder in the Manor of the Rose at Merchant Taylors’ School but as his years as a boarder were in wartime England, so times were tough. Despite the hardships, the school helped forge his deep appreciation for education, and the need for understanding and empathy in teaching. On leaving school, not only did he become an Old Merchant Taylor by default, but he also joined the OMT Society.
He was an ardent supporter of the OMTs. Between 1948 and 1964, Douglas played 255 rugby games for the OMTs, in between all of his other prestigious appearances - for Oxford University, Middlesex, London Counties, South Eastern Counties, the Barbarians, the British Lions and, of course, England.
In fact, when Douglas played for the British Lions against the East African Rugby Union in 1955, I was there in Nairobi…only 23 days old perhaps, but I was there!
Of course, I am an entire generation apart from Douglas, but as an OMT I was made fully aware of Douglas’ sporting achievements and qualities long before I ever set foot in Australia.
So, it was with more than a little trepidation, like a schoolboy up before the Beak, when I first spoke to this living legend at one of the Australian OMT Dinners.
As one of the finest rugby players that the OMTs have ever produced, Douglas became an icon for countless future OMTs as he epitomised the qualities that OMTs most admire and aspire to achieve.
Despite his keen intelligence and his prodigious rugby talents, he was always modest, caring and supremely loyal. He also proved to be a highly competent and most witty speaker too.
Richard Brooman, the current OMT Society Chairman and a Governor of Merchant Taylors’ School, reflected:
“At Merchant Taylors’ School and the OMT Society we were enormously proud of Douglas.
He was an outstanding sportsman and a man of great kindness and humility.
Such was our love and regard for Douglas that we asked him to serve as President of the OMT Society for the Millennium Year.”
He was a great man and a great OMT and I am proud to have known him.
Report from the Taylorian of DGS Baker's 105 not out.
D.G.S. Baker (1943-49)
With much sadness, I learn that Douglas Baker passed away just before Christmas 2022.
For a short time, Doug and I were in the same form at Taylors’. It was our final year there, both of us studying Geography. Douglas went on to graduate in the subject at Lincoln College, Oxford. More importantly, he played distinguished Rugby for Oxford University, then for England and ultimately for the British and Irish Lions in South Africa where he appeared as full back in two of the test matches. Douglas captained the Old Boys in those days with great skill. The wingers used to say that his kicks from Fly Half would place the ball on a sixpence for them to run onto.
Later, Douglas moved to South Australia where he taught Geography, played Australian Rules Football, married, and had three children. His final game for OMTs was many years later when he turned out almost unnoticed for one of the junior teams. Halfway through the match, he was most unlucky to break his shoulder but played on despite the serious pain. It was typical of Douglas. The game was more important than him. Likeable and the most modest of men, he was a leader, but in the most unassuming way.
In 1999, he returned to the UK on several occasions when the Society was honoured to have him as its President. In his presidential visit to Pembrokeshire, still interested in his original career subject, he sought out the ancient, petrified forest at Freshwater West, visible at low tide, which fascinated him.
More recently, Douglas moved with Jan, his second wife, to Sydney to be nearer his family. We offer our sympathy and condolence to all the family. His contemporaries and many admiring friends will long remember a dignified, quiet, and remarkable man, and an outstanding Old Merchant Taylor.
Nick Foley (1944-1949)