Paddy Dockar Drysdale

William Patrick Rolleston Dockar Drysdale (Field House, 1942-1947)

Patrick ‘Paddy’ Dockar Drysdale died at the John Radcliffe Hospital on December 9, 2020 at the age of 91.

Although Paddy was born in Shropshire, his family’s roots were in Radley, just south of Oxford, and he was raised there from the age of six. During his time at St. Edward’s, he became Head Boy and Head of Field House. After a spell of National Service, he attended Trinity College, Oxford, where he studied English and developed a love of theatre. After completing his education, he had two main ambitions, to work in the theatre and to travel abroad. Happily, he combined the two shortly after marrying his wife Olwen (Rasbridge) in 1955. Together, they traveled with the London Theatre Company to St. John’s, Newfoundland where they put on plays for a season and chose to stay after the Company returned to England. They remained in Canada until 1982.

After teaching in the English Department at Memorial University in St. John’s (1956–1959), Paddy accepted the offer of a newly established editorial position with the publisher W.J. Gage, Inc. and moved his growing family to Toronto. There, he collaborated with a number of Canadian linguists and oversaw the research, development and production of the Dictionary of Canadian English series for schools. These three dictionaries were published in the 1960s and led to a fourth publication, Dictionary of Canadianisms on Historical Principles. In a young and rapidly growing country, Paddy was instrumental in establishing a Canadian language, distinct from the English spoken in either the United States or in England.

In 1982, Paddy and Olwen returned to Radley with their youngest daughter and took up residence at Wick Hall, the family home where Paddy’s father had been raised. They threw themselves into restoring the house and grounds and to developing new and unique gardens which they opened annually to the public. They planted over a thousand trees and introduced a herd of fallow deer into the park behind the house.

Paddy became an expert on village history, was an active member of the Radley History Club, and an author (and co-author) of several of the Club’s publications. As a landowner, he was always conscious of the ways he could contribute to the local community and he continued to take an active interest in village matters as well as in the affairs of St. Edward’s and Trinity College. Even after the country went into lockdown, Paddy could be seen on zoom at meetings of the Radley History Club.

Paddy was a true gentleman and was deeply respected by those who knew him. Whether he and Olwen were opening their gardens to raise money for the Radley Flower Show, attending lectures and theatrical productions in Oxford and London, or traveling the world, they were interested in what was going on and remained active and curious until the end of their lives. Seven months after Olwen passed away, Paddy died after a brief illness.

‘Paddy’ Dockar Drysdale, born July 9, 1929, died December 9, 2020, aged 91.

 

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