Colin Beaumont (OB 1943-1954)

Colin Beaumont (OB 1943-1954)

'One of Brentwood’s greatest sportsmen'

Colin Herbert Beaumont, BA, FRICS, a former head of Brentwood School, died in Southend General Hospital on March 30th 2022. A service of thanksgiving was held at Southend Crematorium on April 28th, his great friend and fellow chartered surveyor
Mike Smith giving a eulogy. 

Colin was born in May 1935 at Friern Barnet with the family moving to Chigwell shortly afterwards. Aged eight, he became a border at Brentwood Prep where he soon showed considerable sporting talent. He excelled in golf, football, squash and athletics. At 11, he moved to School House and began lifelong friendships with Tony Roberts, Brian Davies, John and David Barber and Solo Odamtten. In his final year (1953-54), he was Head of School and was de facto in charge of School House as there was no housemaster that year.

Colin’s sporting prowess was spread around the April 1954 issue of The Brentwoodian: as a leading gymnast, a victorious sprinter against other schools, one of an all-conquering squash team and, with five Brentwood colleagues, a member of a successful
Essex Public Schools side. The Brentwoodian, focusing on the soccer 1st XI, praised Colin’s tackling, speed of recovery and thoughtful ball distribution. His first-time kicking and heading could apparently bear improvement.

Next step was St John’s College, Cambridge, where he graduated in estate management. (He told his wife Virginia in later years that he got into Cambridge because of athletic prowess rather than academic ability). 

In 1957, he started National Service in the Royal Engineers. After a few months in the UK, he was posted to Hameln in Germany. As second lieutenants, Colin and his great friend Mike Lee worked well with a troop of Geordie sappers once officers and men had accustomed themselves to contrasting modes of speech. Colin’s additional duties included bomb disposal----and he admitted to a certain fear that he would actually have to defuse a bomb. Fortunately, he was not called upon. His main responsibility was
building bridges over the many rivers in the area. 

In 1959, Colin resumed his career as a chartered surveyor & auctioneer, joining Weatherall Green & Smith in Chancery Lane. (He qualified and became an Associate member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and was later elected a fellow. He thoroughly enjoyed being match secretary of the Chartered Auctioneers Golfing Society. 

In March 1960 at a wedding in Worthing, he met Virginia and love blossomed. They were married in 1962 and would have celebrated their diamond wedding in September. After two and a half years living in Ingatestone, they moved to Edenbridge in Kent where Colin joined Crow and Son. In 1966, Colin joined Hair & Son in Southend as a partner, specialising in commercial property. The couple moved to Beresford Gardens, Hadleigh. 

Colin was a great supporter of local organisations, including Round Table 106 and 41 Club, both of which he chaired. He was a member of Southend Business Luncheon Club, serving as President in 1989, and of Southend East Rotary Club. The family moved into Meadway, Westcliff, where Colin and Virginia remained for the rest of his life.

They enjoyed many wonderful holidays in Britain and abroad. As keen campers and caravanners they went regularly to Scotland to watch the Open Golf Championship before settling on a semi-permanent pitch in Long Melford, Suffolk.

Daughter Amanda became a travel agent and son Neill a director in a Belgium firm trading sugar and coffee. Colin and Virginia have four grandchildren: Bethany is a TV producer, Jack an equity trader; Charley works for Sky News and Callum for a sports
tech startup. 

In 1999, Colin retired from Hair and Son as senior partner. As a skilled auctioneer and after dinner speaker, he decided to become a toastmaster and master of ceremonies, performing at weddings and other special occasions.

His love of golf continued throughout his life. He joined Thorndon Park 60 years ago where he and Virginia made many friends. In his early years, he had a handicap of seven which gradually crept up until he gave up three years ago for health reasons. Mike Smith recalled that as a toastmaster, Colin “looked so good in his red jacket. He was “a lovely kind man, a true professional with a twinkle in his eye, an infectious chuckle and a
wicked sense of humour.”