I'm honoured to have been asked to write about John Blythe, my grandfather. Many of you will know him as the grandson himself - of Jack Harrison, the founder of our Club. He was a hugely influential person in my life, and in my estimation embodied much of what makes a great eccentric — humour, passion, and kindness. I write this on what would have been his 99th birthday; it reminds me of when, 30 years ago, I was able to celebrate his birthday with him. As he put it, "I've finally made it to 69… and I hope to make it again twice a week for the rest of my life. David, you're not supposed to laugh at that!" which illustrates at least one of these three points to a wonderful degree.

While I grew up in Rome and he remained living and working in London, our visits were always a highlight of my year, and we remained firm penpals throughout my childhood. He was the funniest person I knew, and this is echoed in the number of photos we have of him meeting other celebrities and royalty in his line of work, them often being in stitches laughing with him. He was an exceptionally accomplished actor in Film, Theatre and TV over many decades, and obviously well-loved in his industry; the many dedications in his autograph book, another passion of his, contain a lot of affection. He was also a successful songwriter, being awarded the Gold Badge of Merit from the Songwriters Guild of Great Britain (now the Ivors Academy). But I always saw his gift for comedy and humour as kindness, he shared it to make others happy. He was a devoted grandparent, overseeing my development with love and affection that showed how much it meant to him.

There has definitely been a wild streak in this side of my family for many generations, and unwittingly I followed suit. I ditched my expected path once out of university, to travel across North America, and spent most of my 20s playing in a techno band, DJing and touring the world. I think he would have enjoyed that, and I can certainly see his passion and sense of adventure resounding through my life as well.

Eccentricity does seem to be in the blood, or at least passed down in some way (I suspect an old bottle of gin somewhere). But more importantly it is a passion for pursuits beyond the mundane, and finding enjoyment in what others bring to that. That is the great thread that unites us in the Club.

There were many anecdotes he told me about his time at the various clubs, including at the Lord's Taverners, for which he was a committee member and a prominent fixture at their ball. Many of these are far too risqué to put in print, and are better told directly, as he told them to me. The one with the Harlem Globetrotters is particularly good.

John unfortunately passed away during my university days, so I did not have the privilege of knowing him further as an adult. But I see the values he represented in the members of the Club and its spirit, and in the values he passed to me. I like to think he would be both proud of what the Club is achieving, and be happy to join us, making us all roar with laughter in his inimitable way.

To borrow and echo his own words, "I am the happiest man alive to be able to walk through the same door and enjoy marvellous company in the same club as Grandad and all the great Eccentrics before me. I do not care which way the clock goes, I'm just delighted that the pendulum has swung back to allow Jack Harrison's flesh and blood to support the Eccentric still."

David Whewell, Florence, 31 October 2020

David with Grandpa John, Capri, 1984



Bob Hope and John Blythe