Clive Benjamin RIP
Date:
04-03-2020 00:00
Type:
Deceased
Section:
Minis, Adults, Colts, Youth
Obituary
It is my sad duty to announce that Clive Benjamin died on the morning of Wednesday 4th March 2020. Clive was a long term club member, as player, Club Secretary from 1979 to 1993, Vice President and Life Member.
The funeral will be held at Mortlake Crematorium at 10:30am on Friday 27th March, with a wake afterwards at the Wheatsheaf pub, Haven Lane, Ealing.
Valedictory
These words were written by Clive just a few days before he died.
Clive joined Ealing Rugby Club in 1975. He was a keen player and was Club Secretary for 15 years. He was a Vice-President and a Life Member, the highest honour the Club can bestow.
In later years he continued to be a keen supporter, going to watch virtually all the away games as well as the home fixtures. He had booked to see Ealing play Jersey on February 8th this year, but sadly, was unable to go because of his health problems. He was also looking forward to see Ealing play at Newcastle on 28th March.
Clive was deeply involved in the management of the Club, and did much for Ealing Rugby when based at Horsenden Hill. Using his skills as a solicitor, he was heavily involved in the pitch draining projects and the negotiation of the legal work for the club’s 35 year lease renewal.
He drove the implementation programme to install the new floodlights, and when the Club moved from Horsenden Hill, he negotiated the legal work with the new owners, all of which helped enormously to facilitate the successful move to Vallis Way.
The Club will remember him with fondness and gratitude when his friends lift a glass or two in his memory at the Wheatsheaf on Friday 27th March.
I’m very sad to hear of Clive’s passing. He was a great club man and I know he did a huge amount of unseen work to keep the club running.
He was a great person and a huge of amount of fun. I have such happy memories of having the craic with him. For example summer Saturday afternoons during the 90’s - with no rugby to play , a few of us including Clive, the Kelly’s, Fletch etc would do a “walkabout” around Ealing usually starting in the Wheatsheaf, taking in the Kings Arms, and getting as far as the Red Lion among others! Just having a few jars and talking about nothing particular, with Clive’s deadpan deadly humour at the heart of the conversation and cracking us all up. Oh how sad to see another one gone. Deep sympathies to Clive’s lovely family.
Thanks for the memories Clive.
It was a shock to hear of Clive’s final illness and death, so soon after my father’s passing (Willie Williams) last September. Clive had been our family solicitor for decades; but, not only was he born in the same area of the Rhondda Valley as my dad and I, we for numerous seasons all played simultaneously for an Ealing XV. As my dad became frail he placed more professional and social burdens on Clive, and I will always be grateful that Clive assumed the mantle of Pub Escort Team organizer from ‘Wizza’ Wilson, making sure my father was supervised on his weekly scooter trip to the Duke of Kent.
So sad to hear of the death of Clive . He did a great deal for the club over many years & I always enjoyed his company. I well remember the trips to Wales to see internationals which Gordon Griffiths arranged & often Clive was part of the party which were enjoyed in true Ealing camaraderie.
Please pass on our condolences to the family
Clive was my good friend for more than 50 years not only to me and many others but to Ealing Rugby Club.
Yet to me he was more than a friend. His support, always with quiet yet sound council, be it legal or moral, was vital both to me and the club especially when I was president.
The transition from Amateur to Professional was a challenging time for us all. Throughout it Clive always wanted the best possible result for the Ealing he loved.
It is because of him, and the many like him down the years , that the club can today proudly proclaim its1871 foundation.
From now on there will be an empty seat in the stand, a vacant corner stool at the Wheatsheaf and a gap in all our lives. Hwyl fawr a diolch Clive.
In 1975 Steve foot took me to Ealing Football Club (RU) and introduces me to Clive Benjamin, Terry Humphries and Gordon Griffiths. I thought I’d joined London Welsh!
No one really knew what Clive did except it was something to do with the money ! We didn’t have much then. However , he was at every game and was always about for ever ! He will be sadly missed.
Clive was truly one of Ealing’s ‘Legends’!
Willie, Gordon and now Clive. Men of Wales and Ealing and now all sadly passed. Clive was yet another expat Welshman who came to London and ended up at Ealing Rugby Club. As with Willie and Gordon he put his heart and soul into the Club both as a player and administrator. He and his late wife Jane were true friends and all those who knew him will be deeply saddened by this news.
Clive embodied all that was great about the club, heart and soul an Ealing man, great fun and absolutely a piece of the Berkeley Fields furniture (except of course when it floated off during one of the seemingly endless floods!!). Clive was also a fount of great knowledge and wisdom and following him a few years later as Hon Secretary he was always helpful and wise and I will always be indebted to him for his support. Rest in peace!
I write this on the day I was due to attend Clive’s funeral. May he rest in peace.
I am reminded today of Clive constant kindness and never a harsh word. Always quiet and measured. A true sage of Ealing FC.
I recall with a smile a tour to Munster (Germany) where we were royally entertained by the Army with pints of Bacardi n Coke which was cheaper than beer. After a game and a few Bacardis I recall the Sergeant Major taking Clive outside. Later Clive returned and the question was “where is the Sergeant Major?” Clive recounted the story of how he was being put right on throwing in at the lineout and was practising against the wall outside. He could not get it right. In the end the Sergeant Major said “surely you go through this every week at training” to which Clive’s response was “training, I don’t go training” At which point he said the Sergeant Major walked of never to be seen again. Typical. Clive always had a smile and never a bad word, always willing to give advice and cajole. He will be sadly missed by many of my generation.
I look forward to the Wheatsheaf in due course.
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