David Coull (OB 1943-1954)

David Coull, a former President of the Old Brentwoods Society, was among the most talented all round sportsmen----in football, cricket, squash and tennis----to have emerged from Brentwood School. His death on April 15th 2020 was followed by a funeral at Bentley Crematorium on May 4th. He was 84.

Natural skill allied to tenacity made him a redoubtable opponent. He turned out regularly for the Old Brentwoods on the football pitch. A fast winger with an accurate centre, he was a member of the 1955 OB side who shared the Arthur Dunn Cup with Old Salopians. On the cricket field, he was a more than useful all rounder—a nippy bowler and brilliant fielder with an extremely powerful arm. Squash was perhaps his best game, as it was for his OB older brother Bruce who won the Public School Doubles title with Graham Horrex.

He did his National Service with the Royal Regiment of Artillery, finishing as a second lieutenant. His next destination was Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1956 where he studied Natural Sciences and Economics and was awarded a Blue for Squash.

There followed an unstructured spell, involving ad hoc jobs in Canada and the United States, with his great friend Brian Davies (OB).

David then joined an advertising agency to work in marketing, particularly on the Fisons and Nestle accounts. After five years, he decided on a radical change of direction and enrolled at the London Hospital to study medicine. During his training, he played football for the London Hospital and cricket for the OBs.

In 1971, he joined the medical practice of Houlder and Davidson at their Mount Avenue practice in Shenfield. Except for a sabbatical to study anaesthetics, he worked there continuously until retirement and was senior partner from 1992. He worked with an emergency road traffic rescue team, often being called out in the middle of the night to dash off to the A12 or M25, a flashing blue light on his car, to attend accidents, arriving back just in time for morning surgery. 

David became a local celebrity with his regular Sunday night phone-in spot on Radio Essex, giving broad medical advice and answering listeners’ questions.  After retirement, he served as a locum for the Army at Colchester barracks.

He always combined work with plenty of squash and made his presence felt on the golf course, enjoying practicing as much as playing. He was a member of Thorndon Park Golf Club for 57 years and was Club captain in 1990-91. 

He was elected President of the Old Brentwoods Society for 1992.