Ernest Basil Verney, 1894-1967

Abstract

Ernest Basil Verney, who died in Addenbrooke’s Hospital on 19 August 1967, was the fourth son and fifth child of Frederick Palmer and Mary Ann (nee Burch). He was born in Cardiff, but his father’s home was in Branston, N. Devon, where his ancestors had lived for several generations; his mother came from Bradford, Somerset. Basil married Ruth Eden Conway on 10 April 1923, in Manchester. She was the daughter of Robert Seymour Conway, Litt.D. (Cantab.), Hon.D.Litt.(Oxon.), Hon.Litt.D.(Dub.), Hon.Dott.Univ.(Padua), F.B.A., who was then Hulme Professor of Latin in Manchester University, and of Margaret ( Hall), sister of Arthur L. Hall, Sc.D., F.R.S. Ruth was the eldest child in a family of five, consisting of four sisters and one brother, Geoffrey Seymour Conway, who took a First Class in Part 1 of the Classical Tripos and was a Cambridge Rugby Blue and a Rugby International. Basil and Ruth Verney had three children, David Basil Conway, Geoffrey Ivan, and Margaret Elizabeth. David was educated at King’s College Choir School and Highgate School, entered King’s College, Cambridge, in 1942 and joined the Royal Air Force in 1943. He received his training in Arizona, U.S.A., returning to this country to serve as a pilot in Fighter Command. On demobilization in 1947 he re-entered King’s College and took his degree in 1949. He is now with the Montreal Shipping Co., Montreal and Quebec, and is married with two daughters. Geoffrey (Bob) was also educated at King’s College Choir School and Highgate School (Foundation Scholar), entered Trinity Hall, Cambridge, in 1946.