Chester White (1934-2021)

Enduring Houses rest on strong foundations. For Darwin College, Chester White was a foundation-layer. For more than 50 years his kindness, his quiet energy, his chuckle helped build our community. Founder of the Darwin Boat Club, he showed us that even as a novice at dawn on a freezing wintry river, we can find real fulfilment, so also in our wider scholarship and in our lives.

Chester was born in 1934. After leaving Winchester College, he read Medicine at Merton College, Oxford, where he rowed in the Merton Eight. He was a constant friend and supporter of the Merton Boat Club, and in 2016 a racing four was named ‘Chester White’. 

Chester came to Cambridge in 1961 as House Surgeon in the new neurosciences unit at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. He had hoped to pursue postgraduate studies at Merton’s sister college, Peterhouse. However, Peterhouse didn't take post-graduates, and suggested he try round the corner where a new College, Darwin, had just been set up to do that. In the happiest of accidents, he applied to Darwin for research into haematology under Frank Hayhoe, who was one of the founding Fellows of Darwin and its first Vice-Master.  

So, in 1965 he moved to Darwin to study for a PhD and was one of our first generation of graduate students. He brought with him his chuckle, and of course, as the only rower in the student body he founded the boat club – the Darwin College Boat Club (DCBC) was born.  

In 1969 (before he completed his PhD) he became an Official Fellow, and, after more than 30 years of cheerful presence, and interest in all, he became an Emeritus Fellow in 2001. Those are the bare details: what memory adds is the ubiquitous smile, the humour, the gentle kindness, the solid support for so many worried students. 

His career was in Medicine.  And, after more degrees than most, this was to follow a typically unique path.  He was first doctor to move into the New (as it was then) Addenbrooke’s accommodation block.  After a period as research pathologist he became a GP in Trinity Street, in a move prompted by the young family that followed his marriage to Liz, a nurse working at Mill Road Maternity Hospital.   

He displayed an uncanny ability to really listen to his patients as well as just patch them up.  In the early 80’s he was commissioned into the Territorial Army as a Medical Officer for the Royal Anglian Regiment.  This was to win him an M.B.E. which, as far as Liz was concerned, stood for My Beloved 'Ero.  In 2002 he was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Award for services to the youth of Cambridge through his work for the Cambridgeshire Army Cadet Force. 

Chester's childhood had taken him from Hong Kong to Australia via the Philippines during WWII. Despite being stretchered off the boat in Sydney with yellow fever, he enjoyed travel.  He regarded himself as a 'survivor' of an early Comet flight to East Africa and regretted not taking up a position at the British Antarctic Survey.  But he would eventually make it to Antarctica and return to East Africa with the Cambridge University Officer Training Corps (that brought with it the sad task of performing a post-mortem on one of their party who was killed by an elephant ...), as well as trips to the Mediterranean as Ship's Doctor on cultural cruises.

Chester found a home from home at Darwin - something he cherished after that peripatetic childhood. Darwin was his refuge and became part of the lives of Liz and their sons, Rowland, Matthew and David.  Christmas parties in the College Dining Hall or summer afternoons by the Cam cheering bumps crews coached by Chester provide happy, vivid memories. This was also true of Nant-y-feinen, the house he designed and built in Wales within sight - on a rare clear day - of Pen-y-fan in the Brecon Beacons.  He was never happier than when he was pottering around in the drizzle. 

He was immensely proud of his connection with Darwin and of the College's incredible transformation over his lifetime.  He was involved in this in some unlikely ways.  On one occasion, crawling through an attic to assess its suitability for conversion into room space, he found a wooden case containing an antique telescope that age and provenance suggested might well have belonged to Charles Darwin himself.  It now enjoys pride of place in the Master's room. 

A College endures for centuries, perhaps millennia. Chester’s passing reminds us of our debt to Darwin’s first foundation-laying generation. With humour and kindness, he helped to build our House; it will last. Our deep condolences to his family and his many, many friends.

Words by Rowland White, Euan Nisbet and Mary Fowler.

Liz White  

The college is greatly saddened to report that Chester's beloved wife Liz passed away peacefully in her sleep on 13 January 2022. Liz will be remembered by many within the Darwin community as a cheerful, positive and life-affirming presence. She attended many Darwin events over the years and was always interested in everyone and everything around her; she will be much missed. Many condolences to her family.