Page 2 - HGS Suburb News 142 - Spring 2020

Dr David Cohen CBE 1930 - 2019

bombs dropping across the holistic medicine (looking at steeple would make his heart
London skyline. The family had both the mind and the body) “leap with joy”. Ensconced back
a bomb shelter in their garden led to a seat on the board of the in the Suburb, David threw him-
and David recalled the nights prestigious Balint Society which self into the local community,
when he and his family – and deals with the understanding of forming lasting friendships. He
any extended family who might the emotional content of the joined the Residents Association,
be staying – sheltered there. doctor-patient relationship. David was an active member of the
David celebrated VE Day with was an excellent diagnostic doctor Wednesday Walking Group and
friends in Trafalgar Square and who “really listened” to his sat on the Management
remembered sleeping on the patients, always giving them Committee of Fellowship
lawn in front of the National more than the allocated time. House. In the words of Andrew
Gallery, where years later, his wife He would not have enjoyed the Botterill, Fellowship House
Jillian Barker, the prominent strict time constraints of Management Committee member
arts administrator, would work modern GP practices. and friend “David was a great
and have to deal with uninvited Music was one of David’s supporter of Fellowship and
‘guests’ who also chose the lawn great passions. He played the everything it embodies and we
as a place to sleep. piano and listened ‘wall to wall’ will all remember his gentle
Being only the second to Radio 3. Through the John S. good humour… his incisive
generation of Jewish refugees, Cohen Foundation, set up by wisdom provided an invaluable
David was acutely aware of his his father, David championed guide to our deliberations.”
family’s fate should Hitler win emerging composers. He strongly David also actively supported
the war. He was extremely grateful felt that if these new composers the Proms at St Jude’s, attending
to England and the security it were not supported, music would one of its wonderful concerts
There have been numerous and offered, something that he never ‘ossify’. Through his dedication just a few weeks before his death.
high profile obituaries of the took for granted. The wartime to music and the arts generally, David cared deeply about
Suburb resident and philanthropist fear of what the Germans would David was invited to serve on the nature. He loved birdsong and
Dr David Cohen who died in do to the British Jews if they boards of several arts institutions took great pleasure from walks
August last year. They focus (and invaded led him to comprehend including the Royal Ballet Schools, in Bigwood. Sadly, his fourth
quite rightly so) on the illustrious fully the precariousness of his the Royal Opera House, the battle with cancer proved too
career, numerous awards and comfortable life, fostering a National Theatre Development much and he spent his last few
achievements and the philanthropy deep seated need to “give back”. Council and the Royal days in the place he loved best,
of this extraordinary man. Hugely David was clearly a bright Philharmonic Orchestra Trust. at home in the ‘cosy’ cottage,
academic – his alma maters boy and when he made it Another of David’s great with Jillian. They would take
were Lincoln College, Oxford and known he wanted to go to passions was literature. The walks around their garden Clara’s
Brandeis University (Massachusets) Oxford University, his then bookshelves in his Temple together, looking at flowers and
where he was a Fulbright Scholar headmaster bumped him up Fortune home bear testament to plants and listening to the bird- foodbank collection
– the recipient of several prestigious from the B to the A stream, this. He set up the David Cohen song. And it was here in his
prizes in the field of medicine knowing David would apply Prize for Literature in 1993 (he beloved Suburb home that his In December last year Gemma a food collection. Clara also
plus a number of distinguished himself to fulfil this goal – had to be persuaded to add his family (including his daughters Chapman took her daughter made pictures to sell to family
Fellowships to boot. But, despite which, of course, he did. After name) and attended all the Imogen and Olivia, his four
all his many public achievements completing his National Service judges’ deliberations, enjoying grandchildren and his sister) as Clara, aged 6, along to Finchley and neighbours and managed
Foodbank to donate food.
to raise £11.20 which she then
and family philanthropy, David at Fontainebleau, David went to the discussions on the merits well as his friends were able to Clara was really taken by the spent on food to donate to the
was a very private man who Lincoln College, Oxford, initially (or otherwise) of the potential say their goodbyes before David experience and was determined foodbank. Clara and her Daddy
loved the arts, nature and sense reading modern languages but prize recipients. It was educative finally died peacefully on 4th
of community. He found and subsequently switching to and satisfied his constant August 2019, listening to one of that she and her family should are now working on making
candles at home to sell in an
try to help more. Clara told her
valued all of this in the Suburb, Oriental Studies. This included curiosity. David believed the his favourite operas, with his school (Annemount) about the effort to raise more funds to
a place where he spent his child- Hebrew and fulfilled David’s power of culture was both cherished Jillian. foodbank and it was decided spend on food for the foodbank.
hood. In later years, David would desire to gain a greater ‘healing and edifying’. It is David Cohen was a modest,
return to the Suburb, feeling that knowledge of Judaism and his worth noting that many of the unassuming, perhaps even an that the school would organise Well done Clara!
he had “come home”. heritage. After graduating, David winners went on to win the old-fashioned man, who valued
David Cohen was the did a postgraduate degree in Nobel Prize for Literature, people, culture and community
grandson of Eastern European Jewish Philosophy at Brandeis Seamus Heaney and V.S. and spent his life nurturing them. Free Church
immigrants who had fled the University as a Fulbright Scholar. Naipaul to name just two. He will, clearly, be remembered food bank update
pogroms of the 1800s and He was the first of his family to David moved back to the for his philanthropy but also,
settled in London’s East End go to university and their pride Suburb in 2001. He and Jillian by those who knew the private Throughout the year the Free However, due to the restrictions
where they set up a dairy must have been immense given chose a “simple and authentic” man, for his wonderful dry wit
business. At the age of 12, such prestigious institutions. Arts and Crafts style cottage in which he maintained right up Church collects and delivers in place it isn’t possible to deliver
food weekly to the food bank in
at the moment. They understand
David’s father, John, had to David’s parents understood the Temple Fortune (within the until the end of his life. David Colindale. Pat and Lisa, the this, and would be pleased to
take over the dairy when his value of a good education and Suburb boundary). As a young had wished heaven to be a place friendly helpers there are always receive money gifts as they have
father died. Clearly an astute David would have quite happily boy, David had often walked where there were no mobile
and prescient businessman, remained an academic. However, around the streets of the Suburb phones, all grammar was grateful for contributions of non- ways of accessing supplies directly.
You may be supporting other
perishable food and many people
John started to speculate and his father, John, wanted his son with his father, discussing the correct, composers’ names were within the church and from the requests for help, but if you
invest in property, purchasing a to do something more worldly rich and varied architecture and pronounced right and there Suburb community add to this would like to learn more about
plot of land in, what is now and David became an estate he wanted to be back in the were double portions of ice
Winnington Road but back then agent – an unlikely career move place he had loved so much. On cream. Let’s hope he was collection. Food is given out their work, or make a donation,
twice a week and they welcome
further details can be found at
was merely farmland. John for such a shy academic. return journeys to the Suburb, pleasantly surprised. and serve many needy families. www.colindale.foodbank.org.uk.
built a family home and moved David’s interest in people the first sighting of St Jude’s SHELLEY-ANNE SALISBURY
his family there in 1938. The finally led him to change
Cohen family became members direction and he went on to Tell the grandchildren
of Hampstead Garden Suburb study Medicine at the age of 30,
Synagogue in Norrice Lea and qualifying when he was 36 at While we have unexpected time record them on your phone.
the young David walked across Westminster Hospital. He took
fields to University College his career as an NHS GP to mull over our own lives as we Not only will your own memories
be there for your family, but the
sit at home self-isolating, how
School in Hampstead. War broke seriously and, true to the many of us wish we had asked HGS Virtual Museum (www.
out soon afterwards and David academic he was, never stopped our parents and grandparents hgsheritage.org.uk) would love
recalled hearing and seeing learning. His deep interest in
much more about theirs? to hear from you too. The plan
Whether old or young, this is to pull together all the memories
might be a great time to write we receive and create a unique
down and record your own perspective on Suburb history.
memories of life on the Suburb Over to you... Memories to
– little anecdotes, memories of marjorie.harris@hgsheritage.
past friends and neighbours, things org.uk, or send them to HGS
that happened here on great Heritage, 48 Erskine Hill, NW11
occasions or just little family 6HG. Don’t forget to include
ones, photographs... Write them your name and phone number.
by hand or on the computer, MARJORIE HARRIS

✓ P R HARTLEY
✓ CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT

& REGISTERED AUDITOR
Accounting & Taxation Services

Call 020 8731 9745 or 07850 634395
Email paul@prhartley.co.uk
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