James McQuhae 1934-2020

James Lawrence McQuhae was born in Sudbury, Suffolk, England on 15 July 1934. He attended Sudbury Grammar School from 1945 to 1952. He became a Boy Scout, eventually becoming a King’s Scout. Then two years in the RNVR, first as a midshipman, later a Sub-Lieutenant. In October 1954 he went up to Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University to read Geography and graduated after three years. He enjoyed rugby, water skiing, sailing and was a keen member of the Billygoats. He also was an active member of the Conservative Party and the Cambridge Union.

He was offered a job in Canada by British Plaster Board and settled in Winnipeg. He soon became Advertising Manager and was transferred to England, then to France to perfect his French at The Sorbonne in 1961. There he met his future wife, Susie So. Thanks to Susie, who had rapidly gained her DEUG (Diplome d’Études Universitaires Générales), they were happily married on 2 December 1961 in St Peter’s, Vatican, Rome, in the Chapel of the Canons, officiated by Monsignor Rossi, Dean of St Peter’s – with a Papal Blessing. After a fairy tale honeymoon in various hotspots of Europe, they went to Winnipeg, then Vancouver, where their first child was born. A year later they moved to Oakville, Ontario. James was named Sales and Marketing Manager for the whole of Canada – Susie had started work as a fashion model and travel consultant. Two more children arrived to complete the happy family. James then had a brief stint as General Manager of a fleet of Great Lakes vessels and moved the family to Niagara – on the lake. After two years, he joined National Gypsum and was sent to France. As a member of the Plâtres Lafarge executive committee, he had directorships in Italy and Spain. In 1990, they moved to Holland and in 1994 they moved to Guildford, where he ran the gypsum interests of the Lafarge fraternity and became a Freeman of the City of London. He retired in 1997 and returned to France. He continued to be very active – swimming, playing golf, gardening and travelling, including numerous trips back to Fitzwilliam.

He will be sadly missed by his loving wife Susie and their three children: Kim, Patrick and Samantha; a younger brother Bill (Jill) in the UK – and many friends and relatives in many parts of the world.