22 OBITUARY GUERNSEY PRESS Friday 10 March 2017 OBITUARY 23 OBITUARY A life remembered: Chris Day CBE

n the New Year’s Honours List of 2002 by Rob Batiste Chris was awarded a CBE for services Ito the Crown. At the time, in a Guernsey Press HRIS DAY CBE was a legal interview, he admitted that ‘teaching Titan. was really my instinct’. But the father of three, and Away from the corridors of Crown work husband to Jose, was so much and Court Row, he let his hair down with more than that. If the strength a deep interest in sport and his two main and quality of a man can be passions, rugby and cricket. Cjudged on how easily they can fit into It was on the rugby fields that he first any area of life and immediately feel made his mark on the island. comfortable with anyone, be they royalty, He was still six months away from his judges, blockies, the disadvantaged or 18th birthday when his father gave young schoolchildren, he was peerless. written permission for him to be selected To be that sort of person you have to in the 1959 Siam Cup. have real humility and Chris had it in Young Chris, who also played for the abundance. strong Blackheath club in London, lined Wherever the former Deputy Bailiff, HM up at scrum half and with his brother Comptroller and HM Procureur, Siam Cup Philip as captain, Guernsey recorded a rugby star and opening batsman went, rare Siam Cup win. he fitted in. He was at home everywhere. Before departing for Kenya, he headed His influence on island life was huge, back to the island to win two more Siams as it was on his now grown-up children, and play his part in a draw. Oliver, Sarah and Estelle, and their young It’s an overall representative record that children. all the modern Guernsey Siam Cup stars Former Deputy Bailiff Chris Day at the Bailiff’s Chambers after the announcement that he had ‘Don’t get ideas above your station’ was would love to match. been made a CBE. (17627294) a phrase he often used around the family Years later, when fully ensconced in home and he hated pomp and ceremony. island life, he took over the coaching of was more memorable than his man-of- part of the Sirens women’s team, Chris To him, life was family, sport, gardening, the Guernsey 1st XV and at the same the-match effort in 1976. was their coach and mentor. travelling and taking his time. time took on responsibility for junior His 94 for Pessimists that August He also played representative hockey ‘He would not rush... ever,’ said daughter player development. afternoon took the game away from as a goalkeeper for the island third and Sarah. Further down the road and behind the favourites St Martin’s, who were chasing fourth XIs. Possessed of a photographic memory, his scenes he was in charge of the club’s down the target until Day swooped at His great friend and fellow hockey sphere of influence was everywhere in disciplinary committee, a serious role short extra-cover to take one of the stalwart, Peter Martel, said that Chris island life, until the illness which finally but one he managed to encompass with finest catches seen in the local game and was a key man in the highly-social declared his innings at 75 took a hold. his own brand of humour. dismiss the dangerous Alan Lewis. Guernsey Toms touring side, which Apart from his commitment to being To current Guernsey Rugby Club It was about the same time that he went to places such as Gibraltar, Angers, a good husband, father, grandfather president Adie Le Page, who played smashed an unbeaten Division One Antibes and Amsterdam. to Louis, Robin and Ruby, and also under Chris as a coach, he was nothing evening league century, a rare feat. ‘He and I founded the “Ledger” inter- ‘manager, coach and captain of the Day less than a hero: ‘A fantastic bloke,’ as he In later years when daughter Sarah was island match for vintage and veteran Team’, as his death notice in this paper described him. players and he wrote up all the rules. neatly put it, he was quietly influential all In the summer months and before the This year’s game in September is the over the island in his roles as chairman sacrosanct annual three-week family 30th.’ of Guernsey Riding for the Disabled, holiday in Sark ended his cricket season ‘Chris was a great Son Oliver recalls his father listening to as part of the Cobo Community Centre prematurely, he showed himself to be an cricket and boxing late at night on the fundraising team, trustee at the Guernsey equally able batsman as he was scrum character, an all- radio and when it came to watching TV Sports Commission, Vale Recreation half. sport, Chris would cheer for Kenya and Club, and the King George V Playing ‘A very good player,’ recalled his former round good guy with a whoever was the underdog. Fields, chairman of the Guernsey Friends Pessimists opening partner, Bryan Chris loved cycling on his old ‘Pebbles’ of Biberach Group that he co-founded and Preston. phenomenal intellect, three-gear ladies’ bike and took it off to as a patron of La Societe Guernesiaise. ‘He was very steady and really a five-day the UK and France for long rides, often He was a great friend of Sark, where he Test type of cricketer at times. A very a great sense of humour with his children. had a home, and until the end of 2016, correct player. A really nice chap and Although well-travelled – he and Jose when illness took over, he had completed brilliant with everyone,’ he said. and a deep-seated sense visited their daughter Estelle six times more than 15 years as a volunteer in Cambodia – he loved the county classroom assistant at Hautes Capelles A trip to the palace: Chris Day receives his CBE in 2003. ut despite that tendency to be of fairness, justice and of Norfolk and yearned to go back to Primary School and before that at Castel defensive, Chris could always and belief in equality of Malaysia. Primary. oneself was another big part of his time and he was called to the Guernsey he became a judge and was able to slice Bdid explode into action from time to Gardening at the rear of his Vazon home ‘He started out, in 2000, doing an hour a makeup. Bar. through the cluttered thinking of lesser time. was another great passion. week and by the end he was up to seven ‘Teaching was his love from the very start,’ Then came the opportunity to move into mortals. And during the the golden days of the opportunity for all’ Chris was learned, highly respected and hours a week,’ said Sarah Day, herself a said Jose, who met her future husband for private practice under the wing of Peter ‘These qualities will be seen to live on in domestic club game when the annual Bailiff Sir Richard Collas loyal, but always fun to be with. teacher. the first time in Maison Carre in 1958 and Collas, the father of the current Bailiff. his judgements. He must at times have felt GCA Knockout final was the high point The island has, indeed, lost a very ‘He was heartbroken that he could not married him six years later. ‘Peter Collas took him on for his pupillage like Gulliver in Lilliput, but never showed of the season, arguably no one innings special character. continue,’ she said, adding: ‘Seventeen while Chris went off to Caen [to do the it.’ years of children have had the benefit of hris Day was born in Horrabridge necessary French language study] and he Practice partner and former Bailiff Sir his mathematical wisdom’. in Devon and attended Gresham’s did it in half the normal time,’ said Jose. Geoffrey Rowland said: ‘The Bailiwick There was also the time when the CSchool in Norfolk before moving on to Before long he was asked to be a partner has lost a very special character whose schoolchildren enacted the ‘Trial of The Magdalen College, Oxford and Gray’s Inn. with Peter Collas, then his own name came contribution spanned law and sporting Three Little Pigs’ and in his role as the One of three boys, his father was the into the legal practice brands of Collas endeavour’. judge he dressed in his full legal regalia. principal of Elizabeth College during Day, later Collas, Day and Rowland. He added: ‘As an advocate in private Humour and the ability to laugh at the 1950s and 1960s, which was directly His legal contemporaries held him in the practice, from the outset he demonstrated responsible for his chance meeting with highest regard. formidable intellect while always being Guernsey girl Jose Guillemette. Current Bailiff Sir Richard Collas, who approachable. She recalled how the newly-married couple earlier in the week paid his own tribute at He was taught in pupillage that clients came to end up in Kenya where, for four the States meeting, said: ‘He was one of the paid for clear opinions which would years, Chris taught at the Thika High best, if not the best, local judge to preside be useful to them, and not doubts. He School. over the Royal Court. respected that advice. ‘We were sitting in our flat near Victoria ‘He was a great character, an all-round ‘As a Law Officer of the Crown he will be Station on a rainy afternoon while reading good guy with a phenomenal intellect, a remembered for the range of his skills and an advertisement in The Observer which great sense of humour and a deep-seated the quality of his opinions. posed the question: ‘Have you ever thought sense of fairness, justice and belief in ‘Importantly, he was a staunch defender of about teaching in Kenya? equality of opportunity for all. the separate constitutional position ‘It was a Sunday. We looked at each other, ‘Chris was a true islander and a fervent and interests of Guernsey, Alderney and Chris made some form of approving “ooh”, defender of the island’s customs and Sark. and the next day he went to enquire. Later traditions, not only our legal customs. ‘As Deputy Bailiff he prepared thoroughly, that year we were in Kenya.’ ‘He liked nothing more than being able was in total command of his court and Jose, a nurse, went out to Kenya seven to take part in the West Show pageant was respected by all who appeared before and a half months pregnant and as she wearing a guernsey.’ him, and in his time in the States of looked after their young daughter Sarah Deliberation as a Law Officer and Deputy the sports-mad history, English and sports ir de Vic Carey, with whom Chris Bailiff he spoke economically and in a very teacher set about his duties. served as Comptroller for 10 years, focussed way. Away from school he got involved in SProcureur and as Deputy Bailiff for ‘If a one-word answer sufficed, the amateur dramatics but his main interests four years, delivered his own appreciation. answer was limited to one word, coupled were in rugby, in which he represented ‘He was a man of great loyalty and often with a ready smile directed at the East Africa Central Province, and cricket. discretion. He would, however, helpfully questioner. But during a rugby game Chris broke a speak up in private when he thought you ‘He certainly did not admire members who bone in his back and a highly-promising The young scrum half from Blackheath. were going astray. had made no attempt to master the skill of playing career, which had already included ‘His early years as a keen student of speaking succinctly. several Siam Cup wins while on fleeting Sarah’s schooling needs and Chris had history at Oxford and a teacher in the wide ‘As Bailiff I was grateful when Chris visits to his parents in Guernsey, was decided to complete his law studies.’ spaces of Africa led him often to see events agreed to be the independent chairman of ruined. in this prosperous little island through the the Code of Conduct Panel, and admired Man of the match: On his way to a match- ‘They ripped the door down from the or a while the growing Day family lived other end of the telescope, which was not from a distance the way he discharged that winning 94 for Pessimists in the 1976 clubhouse to use as a stretcher,’ Jose in Kent while Chris completed his law always what his clients, private and public, duty. Guernsey Knockout final. recalled. Fdegree at Gray’s Inn, filling in spare wanted. ‘I learned much from him, cherish the ‘That really put paid to his rugby. hours with a job in a bakery. ‘This “disinterestedness”, to use an memories and will always be grateful (17627306) ‘We came back to the UK because of In 1971 the Days moved to Guernsey full- obsolescent word, proved invaluable when to him.’ Meeting Prince Charles. (17627298)