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Barnes in Commonthe magazine of Churches Together in Barnes
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Alfred Kenyonby Riq Willitts, from material kindly provided by
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Born on 27 February 1920, Alfred went to Repton School, where he was in trouble for working too much. In World War II he saw active service in Italy. He was decorated, though he was too modest ever to speak about the circum-stances behind the medals. At the same time he became fluent in Italian, was a regular at the Naples Opera, and read Plato in ancient Greek for relaxation. After the war, he obtained a first-class degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Trinity College, Oxford.
He married Joan in 1950; they were together for nearly 56 years. Shortly after joining Plessey in 1967, Alfred became corporate treasurer, a position he held until retiring at the age of 62.
At Plessey, his nickname behind his back, apparently, was "the genius", but unusually for an intellectual, he delegated extensively and well, never hogging the limelight but allowing his team to develop and grow.
He then taught at the City University Business School full-time for 13 years. As a Visiting Professor he had found his true vocation. He loved teaching and his students loved him, benefiting from his unique combination of a first-class mind and practical skills acquired from years in industrial management.
He wrote several books. In collaboration with Dr Shiv Mathur he wrote Creating Value (Butterworth Hyman 1997) which won the prestigious Best Management Book of the Year, when Alfred was 78 years old. The final draft of their latest book was sent to the publishers in January 2006, just a few weeks before Alfred's death.
Alfred became a Roman Catholic in 1941 and his profound faith and devotion to the Church defined much of his thinking for the rest of his life. He approached death with serenity, and without losing his sense of humour. After the doctors told him they could do no more, he remarked, "I have had a great life and am well past my sell-by date". Alfred leaves his wife Joan, two children, Catherine and Michael, and six grandchildren. His son Paul, who suffered from Downs Syndrome, died in 1982. In the weeks leading up to his own death, Alfred was very excited about being reunited with Paul.
Alfred was very active in many local affairs. He worked with FISH until his 83rd year, and was on the Executive Committee of Churches Together in Barnes for many years. He also represented this part of London on Churches Together in South London. This reflected his ecumenical outlook, which included sending his son to an Anglican school, and the many very good friends he made with members of the other Churches in Barnes.
He also actively supported Amnesty International and CAFOD. It was characteristic of him that he responded to my request to become a Christian Aid collector, and simultaneously convinced me to become a regular contributor to CAFOD, which he considered to be a more effective organisation.
All who came into contact with him will remember his sense of humour and infectious laugh. He always seemed to have a new story to tell each time we met. And of course the jokes were terrible!
At his funeral, his son Michael spoke of Alfred being constantly at the service of others. As an example, when diagnosed with cancer, Alfred's only reason for not wanting to die was because he wanted to look after his beloved wife. Also, at the London Business School he showed the other professors the joy and value of time spent with his students.
Michael also spoke of the values Alfred passed on to him:
Honesty and integrity – both material and intellectual.
Humility, modesty, and understatement.
Other important principles Michael remembered were:
There is never any excuse for bad manners.
Social standing, race, colour, and creed do not matter.
Always take the long view.
Go for the quiet life: pick your fights, go for what matters.
Michael said that if he has been as good a father to his children
as Alfred was to Paul, Catherine, and himself, he will have some very
happy children.