Surrey are mourning the loss of Peter Walsh, highly influential in helping the Club through straitened times in the 1990s, at the age of 93. Richard Spiller underlines his contributions…
Thousands of people every day have good reason to thank Peter Walsh.
After a long and successful career with Shell Oil, which involved working around the world, he returned to the United Kingdom to join the team which raised the finance to build the Eurotunnel, revolutionising the way in which we travel to and from the continent.
Walsh’s financial expertise would prove extremely useful for Surrey County Cricket Club. Born in Wandsworth in 1931, he attended Whitgift School where he played in the first team alongside Raman Subba Row, who would go on to open the batting for England.
After retirement, Subba Row played a leading role in reforming English cricket and transforming Surrey’s headquarters, the Kia Oval. It was no easy task and money often scarce. He enlisted the support of his old school team-mate – who had been based in South America, Africa and the Netherlands during his career with Shell – in the final decade of the 20th century, when money was particularly tight.
Walsh joined the general committee, serving for four years from 1992-96 and the finance advisory group from 1992 to 2001, where his influence and experience were much appreciated. He was elected an honorary life vice-president in 2000.
“Surrey County Cricket Club was an immensely important part of his life,” recalls Patrick, one of Peter’s three children.
He remained involved while serving on the finance and general purposes sub-committee of the Surrey Cricket Trust (now Foundation).
Walsh, who lived just outside Guildford until moving to a residential home in Hindhead recently, relished his trips to The Oval and had good reason to be proud of his contribution to Surrey’s good health.
His funeral will be held at Guildford Crematorium on Tuesday August 5 at 11.15am.
