Tribute to Ron Bailey, 1938 - 2026

I am so sorry to hear of Ron's passing. He was an integral part of my memories of CLS between 1975 & 1983. Not a man to mess around with, a characteristic that served him well in such a pit of juvenile misbehaviour as I recall CLS being. I was very grateful to him for his kindness when, aged about 11, I fell and broke my knee in a cross-country run. I was also grateful to him a year or two later for removing me from the front row and assigning me line-out duties instead, once puberty had kicked in and I had grown a foot taller. He was a source of firm guidance and much-needed encouragement to a rugby team (in my year) that had turned underachieving into something of a performance-art form. I suspect the only reason any of us ever actually put any effort in was for him. In that respect, he was very much an inspiration - I remember him as someone for whom you always wanted to try your best. Fond memories. My thoughts and best wishes to his family.