Tom Beacham’s address for Malcolm, 15 July 2022

I thought I would start by saying welcome & thank you all for being here today as we all celebrate the life of Malcolm.

Malcolm was born in 1951, the second son of John and Peggy Beacham. Bruce - being his older brother - had done a fine job teaching John and Peggy the sound parenting skills ready for when Malcolm came along two years later.

There were 2 more children to follow in the subsequent years as the Beacham family grew, with Nicola and Russell arriving to make “The Beachams” complete. 

As young Malcolm grew, it was clear he had his own way of doing most things, an independent thinker, and a confidence that was both engaging and challenging to his parents. Life at home was in Thorpe Bay, Essex, next to sunny Southend, where the sea, tennis and sailing clubs were all at the end of their road, and the golf course round the corner.

As for Schools - Thorpe Junior School at Greenways, then onto the grammar school Southend High School for Boys. A recent clear out of his desk in Lindfield has brought to light his O-Level results. Which I shan’t disclose here - but I must say they have given some context to his very understanding and relaxed reaction to my own educational trials & tribulations.

The draw of the tennis and sailing club was soon overtaken by the lure of the “scooter”.

He was growing up in an era of mods and rockers, where Lambrettas and Parkas were having their moment. I might add that this moment seemed never to pass, as Malcolm finally said goodbye to his old Parka as he sold it on Ebay just a few months ago…

Southend in the 60’s was certainly a happening place. And Malcolm’s sense of fun was building and his telling and collecting of jokes began - many of which we have all enjoyed and shared. And he learnt the importance of working and playing hard – in equal measure. This came to a head when – after breaking his arm and nearly his neck - one of his employers told him that he could either work for them or do activities like hand gliding – but not both!

Malcolm’s father John was diligent with the maths homework, as Peggy was in her encouragement of Friday card nights for Malcolm and his mates, providing coffee and sandwiches every week - much to the gratitude of Malcolm’s biker mates. I’m not sure if it was the sandwiches that kept them coming back – it might well have been the fact that his Dad would occasionally provide a liquor of a more ‘intoxicating nature’… who knows!?! 

His brother Russ recounted a time when he accidentally walked in on Malcolm and his mates causing mischief at home – so Malcolm, worried about getting into trouble, took him for spin in their dad’s minivan to tell him to keep his mouth shut. It didn’t take him long though to realise that cash could buy Russell’s silence!

It was in 1968 that the sand and surf of childhood was replaced by a chalk striped suit and the 7.22 train to Fenchchurch Street. Who would have thought that that 7.22 train was the start of a fifty year career in Lloyds.

Malcolm headed to London to his first job joining CE Heath underwriting. As so often happened in his life he landed on his feet. His underwriting career started as an entry clerk on the box at Heaths. He soon learned how to best put his skills into becoming a Lloyds underwriter, and in 1979 became a regular fixture in Lloyds scenes (both professional and social), and later ran his own syndicate.

Malcolm continued to work with the team at Heaths until he was taken on by one of them to Hiscox - which was then at that time a small ambitious Lloyds underwriting agency. In 1975 Malcolm was only their ninth employee. Today they have a team of over 3,000! But ‘Being his own boss’ was Malcolm’s aim – and this would bring the life balance he was seeking – following the mantra of work hard and play hard in-equal measure.

A good way to measure this mantra would be to look at his “wheels” – there is a list of cars that he drove, starting from his dad’s minivan, featuring sports cars, convertibles and coupés. And he once said that he always wanted his cars to have a ‘little bit of flash’. And the company car always had to be better than the previous one! But it was his latest vehicle that has been pushed to the absolute limit. A matte black, hydraulic powered wheelchair. He pushed it so far that we had to call the manufacturer to turn the speed down. He even had a few of you over to give it a spin, to the detriment to the walls in our living room.

The 29th July, 1981 is a date made memorable for 2 reasons, firstly it was the day Charles and Diana got married, and more importantly it was the day that Malcolm met Lucy – at a red white and blue party. A wonderful lifelong romance followed, their feet didn’t touch the ground for many months - they were soon married. It has been a loving and caring partnership now in its fortieth year. 

His balancing act of work and play took another meaningful step when Malcolm met his father-in-law to-be, David Lethbridge, who after a solid Sunday lunch asked “Would you like to do the washing up? Or shall we go and play croquet?” a slightly less challenging conundrum than those in his daily cryptic crossword… and so his love of croquet was born. Malcolm has enjoyed the game with many of you at Hurlingham, the Lloyds croquet club, and Southborough too. Many sunny afternoons of deep concentration, tactical theory, and I’ll spare you the thrills of the bisquez (Bisk) handicap system ...

So it was on a croquet lawn, at Lucy’s family home in Henley, that Malcolm asked David to have Lucy’s hand in marriage – to which David replied “About bloody time too”. They married on a wonderful day, 8 May 1983.

City clubs of which there were many, have been a platform for a number of his social escapades. One of the clubs in particular that served Malcolm well through all his years working in the city is The Racing Club - many members of you are here today - a group of young Lloyds men getting through their day in the market and racing to maximise their spare time – times that he cherished fondly.

The test of Golf also has been an important source of fun for Malcolm: there were Haywards Heath, Royal Ashdown and the RAC to name just 3 of his places of torture. Golf has led to many rounds in all corners of world with a large number of you. I would say he’s one of the best playing partners going.

I can’t mention these clubs without talking about the other club that has been a huge part of Malcolm’s life for the last twenty years – The Other Investment Club – fondly known as “The OICs”. Twelve members meeting once a month to invest, test their skills, spend some money, and while they are at it develop exceptional tastes in wines. Enjoying Malcolm’s knowledge and his collection of wines is something I think, every one of us here has been lucky enough to share with him.

But truly - many happy and fruitful friendships have blossomed in all of these clubs, long may this continue to bring you as much joy as I know it did to him. 

In 1986 Malcolm and Lucy moved to their beautiful farmhouse in Lindfield with one bed, one sofa and one very precious carrycot holding their first son Michael. A further two boys Robert and Tom soon arrived to make up another “Beacham Team”.

The A’s are now on board - Annie and Alina, who have bought some much needed beauty and charm. Mike and Annie have given Malcolm his first two grandchildren – more boys of course. Joel and Finley who are a delight and added a new dimension to his life in recent times. Papa was always ready to read a story, play football or share an early morning cup of tea.

Over the last months things have not been easy, but This Beacham Team have shared laughter in the face of adversity. In the days after his terrible diagnosis, he lined up all the drugs which he now had to take, into individual piles on the kitchen table. He turned to our friend Simeon and said “Mick Jaggar would be proud of me”.

But seriously, he took to this fight in the same way that he took to everything he did. A way that we can all recognise from how we have seen him tackle his sports, his work, friendships, his wines, how he was as a brother, a father, a grandfather and a husband. He took it all head on, and did so with grace, intelligence and the calm hand which has guided our family and will continue to do so, forever.

So remember this man, Malcolm Beacham, for his sense of fun, for his laughter, for the friendship and love that we have all been privileged to share! And if you follow his advice, it will serve you well:

To work hard and play hard in equal measure.

I think we can all agree that Lucy has been nothing but a force of positivity, love, light and great joy in Dad’s life. And in these recent months she has been a beacon of strength and care. On behalf of everyone here your sons wanted to say thank you. We all promise to love you and will support you, always. No matter what is thrown our way.