Mr Stephen Woodham Rogers
Class of 1943
Stephen Woodham Rogers (Apsley, 1939-1943)
Died 16th February 2023, aged 97.
The following obituary was kindly provided by Stephen’s son, Peter.
Stephen Woodham Rogers was born in June 1925, the fourth of, eventually, six brothers, sharing a birthday with his mother. His father was the vicar of the parish at Hoyland, South Yorkshire. The family were taught at home until the age of eight when they were sent to Aysgarth prep school in Wensleydale where, as the fourth Rogers, he was commonly referred to as Quartus. At the age of fourteen he joined his brothers at St. Edwards School in Oxford where he stayed on despite the Second World War.
Aged eighteen, he was called up to join army training at Bovington in November ‘43. He was assigned to the Royal Armoured Corps where he gained his tank qualifications before officer training at Sandhurst where he received a temporary commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in February ’45. He was then assigned to the Inns of Court Regiment and in May ’45, just after VE Day, he was posted to Schleswig Holstein as part of the 7th Armoured Division, supervising the repatriation of German units from Norway.
Within a few months he was withdrawn from European duties and instead embarked in Dover to join the East Africa Corps, overseeing soldiers returning to their homes in Uganda and Northern Kenya before joining Head Quarters in Nairobi. Here he was appointed an Acting and then Temporary Captain and remained until August ’47.
The following year he went up to Cambridge to read Chemistry and after graduation he joined the Plastics Division of ICI. He started work in Welwyn Garden City, with roles in Research and Manufacture before an appointment at their factory in Darwin, Lancashire. Whilst staying in a hostel the manager, hoping to be matchmaker, introduced Steve to her niece, Alison Stewart, a trainee nurse from Oswaldtwistle, entering them into the mixed doubles at a local tennis tournament. A romance blossomed with them eventually being married by Steve’s father in June 1956.
He was soon posted back to Welwyn Garden City and married life with Alison started in Hertfordshire where they had 3 children and many friends.
In 1976 Steve was offered the chance of early retirement giving him more time to assist his two girls in equine competitions, which became increasingly far afield as the girls’ skills grew. When the girls had given up competing, Steve decided he would join the British Show jumping Association becoming a qualified judge. This was a role he relished, continuing judging for many years and eventually being recognized by the BSJA for long and dedicated service to the association.
Steve died suddenly in February. He was predeceased by his wife and daughter Gillian but leaves a son Peter, daughter Susan and five grandchildren.
If you would like to leave any messages for the family or share any memories please click here.
Print page