It was with great sadness that the University learned of the death of founding staff member David Millyard on 15 September, following a short illness.

David was one of the now few remaining early members of staff who came to Canterbury in August 1963 to set up the University in Westgate House, in St Dunstan’s.  David was appointed as an assistant to David Edwards, the Deputy Registrar (Buildings), with whom he had worked at the University of Oxford. Three weeks later, Jane Millyard (then Carvosso) arrived at Westgate House, the first member of the academic administration. David and Jane married in 1965, billed in the Kentish Gazette as the first ‘University romance’!

Denis Linfoot, former Academic Registrar, writes: ‘David was very much involved in the building and establishment of the first colleges, but in October 1967 he moved into the Academic Division of the Registry, when he was appointed Assistant Registrar. David was appointed Academic Secretary in 1968, and continued in this office until his retirement in 1990. As Academic Secretary, he was responsible – with the support of Assistant Registrars – for all the administrative aspects of the students’ academic life, including student recruitment and admissions, teaching timetables, examinations and the formal appointment of examiners.

‘David was also in effect the Registrar’s deputy as secretary of the Court, Council, Senate, and – until the mid-1980s – the Faculty Boards, and of many of their committees, including for example appointments committees, and of a long succession of strategy and planning groups, in all of which his wise and well-considered views and advice were always welcome.’

A service of celebration of David’s life will take place at St Peter’s Church, Bekesbourne at 15.00 on Friday 30 September. The family request no mourning clothes be worn.