Older members will be saddened by the death on 12 March of one of our most illustrious Vice-Presidents John Teakle. Whilst at Royal Agricultural College Cirencester in the early 1950s John was poached by Gloucester RFC and was their first team fly-half for the whole of the following season.

Following qualification John joined what is now Cliffe Veterinary Group in Lewes. Although he turned out for LRFC whenever he could junior partners in those days were expected to work a six-day week. He regretted that he hardly ever played with his fellow CVG partner Dick Rees because if one was off duty the other was invariably working. Dick of course went on to captain LRFC before moving upstairs to eventually become our longest serving President.
John took a keen, active and generous interest in the club for over 60 years and as he latterly became housebound declared that the highlight of his week was reading the team's match report in the Sussex Express.