Donald Roy Huntingford

Don Huntingford was born in 1920 and, as a young man, served in the Navy in WW2. He became a Wireless Telegraphist, and served as part of a Royal Navy Liaison team aboard a French Submarine in the Mediterranean Sea. That had escaped to Algiers from occupied France. These 1500 tonne Submarines had to come up to the surface every night to open the hatches for fresh air for the crew and to recharge the batteries. Every time the boat surfaced, it was a sitting target and it was amazing that anyone survived at all! Don was awarded the Croix de Guerre twice for his bravery. He was also very proud that he was one of the first three Englishmen to arrive in liberated France. He served in and survived the Arctic convoys, for which he also received Russian Medals.

After the war, Don resumed his training to be a Certified Accountant, qualified, and became a Chartered Accountant in 1949. This was with the City firm of Clark Battams & Co, which later became Clark Whitehill. A Senior Partner of the firm at that time was a member of the Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers – H Kenneth S Clark had joined the Glass Sellers in 1932, became Master in 1949/50 and was Honorary Clerk from 1941 to 1976. He also became President of the Fellowship of Clerks in 1956 and an Honorary Liveryman in 1977.

He proposed Don into the Glass Sellers in September 1967 after which Don served as Company Auditor from 1975 to 1983 and then served on the Court from 1983 until 2001. Another Partner was William (Bill) E Emms who joined the Glass Sellers in 1950 having been proposed by Kenneth Clark. Bill became Master in 1970/71 and was Auditor from 1969 to 1975. Yet another Glass Sellers’ Chartered Accountant at the firm was Philip Willoughby, who started his career in 1957 being articled to Bill Emms.

He qualified in 1964 and also went on to become a Partner in June 1968. He joined the Glass Sellers in 1971 having also been proposed by Kenneth Clark. He then became Honorary Assistant Clerk to Kenneth Clark in 1972 and took over as Honorary Clerk from 1976 through to 1989. He also became Master in 1986/87, and was Auditor from 1990 to 2010. Philip also served as a City Councillor & Deputy from 1985 to 2010, and was Chief Commoner in 1996. He also recalls attending a Luncheon at the Mansion House to celebrate the Centenary of the Submarine Service where he was very surprised to meet Don Huntingford as one of those guests covered in medals.

Don always kept his wartime exploits very quiet. As an Accountant, Don was calm, instructive and creative, and held in very high regard. In his private life, he was a great supporter of organisations in the Chingford and Lea Valley area including the Lions Club, Housing Associations, Civil Defence, etc. It appears he rarely stopped!

Don died on 12th November 2016 aged 96. His wife Joan had predeceased him. He had three children John, Mary and Ruth. There were four Grandchildren Louisa, Anna, Faye and James, and also three Great Grandchildren. Faye is another member of the Glass Sellers’ Company having been apprenticed to her Grandfather for four years from March 1999. She took the Freedom of the Company in December 2003. As a mark of respect to Don Huntingford, the Court stood for a minute’s silence to his memory at the Quarterly meeting held on December 13th 2016.