Neil Loader (OB 1940-1946)

A successful businessman, dedicated family man and stalwart of the Old Brentwoods, Neil Loader died on October 2nd, aged 95. The funeral took place at Christ Church, Warley on October 24th, attended by many Old Brentwoods.

Neil was born in Chadwell Heath on 9th September 1929 to Charles and Emily. He had been preceded by brother Alan and would be followed by sister Pam and brother Terry. He attended St Chad’s Infant School and Whalebone Junior Mixed School. His early school reports indicated a very capable pupil. Playtime in the streets led to him joining “The Gang,” facilitated by Alan being a member. Relationships were long lasting. The Gang continued their reunions for 70 years.

In 1939, the family was evacuated to a farmhouse in Bason Bridge, Somerset. Neil attended Dr Morgan’s School in Bridgwater. They returned to Chadwell Heath----and the Blitz---in July 1940 and Alan and Neil were accepted into Brentwood School (annual fee £57!). Neil continued to thrive in the classroom. Young for his class, he took his National Certificate (a GCSE predecessor) at 14. He represented the school at football and cricket, sheer determination compensating for his small frame.

In 1946, he joined chemical company May & Baker. He attended evening classes and passed the executive exam to join the Civil Service. However, he was called up for National Service in the Navy – enjoying a tour of Japan and being stationed in Malta. At a social evening, excessive consumption of Pimm’s meant he “lost a day and a half of my life!” He never touched the stuff again.

On leaving the Navy, he decided against the Civil service and became employed by Remington Rand, an electric equipment and electronics manufacturer, as a trainee salesman. Four years later, he joined Monsanto’s UK plastics division, working his way up from sales trainee to UK Sales Director.

In 1973, Neil left the corporate world and set up Loader Chemicals & Plastics Ltd. He worked from an office in the spare room, growing the business steadily. He bought an office in Gresham Road, Brentwood in 1980 and extended it in 1984. Son Phil joined Loader Chemicals in 1990. Four years later, Neil became the company’s chairman, leaving the management to his son and gradually wound down his involvement but was always on hand with advice. He fully relinquished ownership in 2008.

Settling into the Old Brentwoods in the 1950s, he was taken under the wing of Charles ‘Kip’ Dunlop. At Burland Road, he played football or cricket every weekend. He was Secretary of the Football Club in the late 1950s and early 1960s and President in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and played a leading role in forming the Arthurian League for the 1961/62 season. He was Cricket Club President from 1989-91, and Society President in 1974. He joined the Plastics Industry Golf Society in the early 1960s, captaining the PIGS London section and later serving as National President. He joined Thorndon Park in 1971. On the livery front, he attended Needlemakers’ functions.

At the Old Brentwoods, he met Kip’s daughter Delphine, whom he immediately nicknamed Buster! Neil and Delphine were married in April 1960, famously cutting short the honeymoon to join the OB Football tour to Hastings.

Family always came first with Neil, from his early years in Chadwell Heath to starting his own family. At Western Avenue, Gidea Park, Sue, Stuart and Phil arrived between 1961 and 1964. In 1970, the family moved to Headley Chase, Warley. Holidays encompassed Devon and Cornwall, the Isle of Wight, Norfolk, camping in Bordeaux, Normandy and the Jura, and Gozo, Majorca, Italy and America. Nothing gave him greater pleasure than seeing his family together at play, particularly when gathered at Centreparcs.

Neil and Delphine loved to socialise, particularly via dinner parties and many years of New Year’s Day parties. With the family grown up, they continued to travel, exploring the wine regions of France with John and Anna Barber, long weekends with Ken and Joyce Emery and India with Keith and Pauline Boon. Watching Essex at Chelmsford with his usual crowd was a favourite pursuit for Neil.

The couple moved to a flat in Rhapsody Crescent, Warley in January 2016. Sadly, Delphine died in July. In his latter years, Neil was “wonderfully looked after” by live-in carers John and Juliet.

In 2019, in his 90th year, he was presented with his 60th certificate in 2019 by the Metropolitan Grand Master, Sir Michael Snyder (OB). Neil was initiated into the Old Brentwoods Lodge, aged 29, in 1959. He became Master of the Lodge in 1973, subsequently serving as Assistant Secretary, Treasurer and Chaplain (?). He joined the Old Brentwoods Chapter in 1968 and served as 1st Principal in 1981 and 2009, fitting in a stint as treasurer in-between. He was awarded with Senior London Grand Rank and Senior London Grand Chapter Rank for his services to the Lodge and London Freemasonry.

Phil Loader told mourners: “He deserved all the respect and admiration from every member of every club or society he was such a part of, every hour of warmth, friendship and laughter shared with many friends, every ounce of love and affection from family, every minute of support received in later years.”

Phil’s brother Stuart added: “It was a good and full life. Stressful times, such as being evacuated, living through the blitz and national service were recalled with fondness and humour. Life was an adventure and full of opportunity. He loved to meet people, and build relationships socially and through business. Many of these developed into lifelong friendships.”

Neil Loader is survived by his three children, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Written by Martin Rowland