Paul Huband

Many friends of Paul Huband will say goodbye to a remarkable amiable and talented man later this month – a man with a creative vision, wit and wisdom admired and treasured by those whom he came to know.

Born in 1938, Paul, as a teenager, lived at Cumnor Lodge adjacent to Kenilworth Cricket Club's ground on Warwick Road, occasionally turning out for the 3rds when asked.

However, his sporting achievements – rugby and rowing – were developed at Warwick School, Pembroke College, Oxford and Exeter University where his Phd studies were scuppered by the 1963 winter, the coldest for more than 200 years with snow drifts preventing Paul's research studies into plants and vegetation.

Soon after leaving Exeter he became fishing ship scientist investigating Atlantic cod fishing in the North Sea.

From the North Sea, Paul's travels took him to Caribbean islands to promote crop improvements before settling for a while in Fordingbridge on the edge of the New Forest in Hampshire where his creative initiatives included developing a trout "smokery".

On his return to Warwickshire he began work on the development of heavily insulated food storage containers.

At this stage of his career he became a regular at several local watering holes, notably the Anchor in Leek Wootton, the Cottage in Kenilworth and the Blue Room at the White Horse in Leamington.

Here he became a notable influence in the success of the Blue Room Debating Society and Lottery Syndicate (BRDSLS) which attracted many top brains and many of the wittiest and sporty people in the area; Professor George Bain, then Chair at Warwick Business School and Chris Wardlow, the ex Coventry and England Rugby International were both members.

Paul's long-standing commitment to improving the health of the environment encouraged him to be an active member of Kenilworth All Together Greener and Community Energy Warwickshire Limited where he was a Director.

Two little known facts about him are his record as a taxi driver on regular "Heathrow runs" and his passion for walks across the Cotswolds and the Staffordshire Hills where, I'm told, the practice of swapping false teeth amongst locals was not uncommon!

Paul thoroughly enjoyed the wit and wisdom of others as his many similar stories bear testament. He will be much missed; hopefully, his 200 box files of environmental data will be of use to other thinkers with his degree of invention and creativity.

Paul's funeral will be held on 25 September at Oakley Wood at 2.30 pm.