Remembering Edmund
Everyone at WLAC was deeply saddened to hear of the death of Edmund Sixsmith, at the age of 79, in June. Edmund had been a great WLAC supporter for over twenty-five years. He enthusiastically helped his wife Vicky, another incredible supporter, with all the events she runs in Brook Green – the Quiz, the Nosh, the Barn Dance, the Tennis Tournament and others. But he did much more than that. All who had the pleasure of knowing Edmund will remember him as an erudite, eclectic, inventive and entertaining man: one who was a natural organiser and leader who loved bringing people together. He used all these talents and some of his many passions to create remarkable fundraising events for WLAC.
Edmund loved playing bridge and ran a very popular bridge school in Brook Green – the Sixsmith School of Bridge. Out of this he created the Annual Evening of Bridge. His bridge-playing pupils and friends would come together for a tournament of Modern Chicago bridge over an excellent supper and drinks. This event has raised several thousand pounds for WLAC each year. Edmund even continued to run it during the pandemic as an online tournament, for which we were especially grateful as so many of our other events were impossible to run.
Edmund had a fine sense of humour and excelled at twisting people’s arms, so it also became the tradition at the Sixsmith School of Bridge that each week’s winners would donate their prize money into a fundraising pot for WLAC. They only played for 10p per 100 points, but it mounted up to a good steady donation each year.
Edmund was a man of many deep interests, and one of the most notable ones was his love for the poetry of Hilaire Belloc. He knew every line and could find a quotation for any occasion. In 2018, as part of our Centenary celebrations, he achieved a lifelong dream and became an impresario, putting on a show so a modern audience could enjoy the wit and insight of Belloc’s verses. With his tireless drive and energy, he produced a script, selected verses, and pulled together a wonderful team of performers. The night was opened by John Julius Norwich, who had been friends with Belloc and recounted some of his personal memories. The poems were performed to great laughter and a concert pianist further enhanced the night. ‘An Evening with Belloc’ was enjoyed by a sell-out audience of 250 people, including some fifteen members of the Belloc family, the chair of the Hilaire Belloc Society, several people who had known Hilaire Belloc and many local residents and supporters of WLAC. It raised some £10,500 and is one of the most unusual and impressive events ever held on our behalf.
The entire WLAC community sends their love and deepest condolences to Edmund’s wife, Vicky, and his son, Leo, and to all his many friends. He will be very much missed by us all and we are immensely grateful for all he did for WLAC and the way he turned his personal passions and skills into memorable and enjoyable fundraising events.