We have sad news. We have lost a guiding light. Anthony Harvey, the Secretary of the Maritime Foundation – for which MFUK was created – has crossed the bar. After a year and more of a fight against cancer, in which he displayed all the courage and good humour that we knew so well in him, he “put off his old clothes”, in that moving phrase, and passed away.
It’s hard to know where to start in summing up Tony’s life’s work in bringing home to our country the vital importance of the sea and seafaring to Britain. From the creation of the Maritime Media Awards; to the founding of the Maritime Volunteer Service, which enables young people to learn about sea time; to the successful ‘Britain and the Sea’ conferences; to his editorship of ‘Maritime’, the blue-chip annual review of the maritime world; to his creation of the Maritime Foundation Memorial Book, for those lost at sea with no known grave – his achievements just go on and on.
But above all, he was a man of great generosity of spirit, of kindness and hospitality – in the words of the gospel, filled with “good will to all men.” Those who knew him will miss him so much. But we are all determined to do all we can to see that his work goes on.
There will be a memorial service for Anthony Harvey at the mariners’ church of All Hallows by the Tower, London EC3R 5BJ, on the 9th of February next year.
Ave atque vale, Tony.