David Belchamber (OK 1952 and former staff)

David Belchamber (OK 1952), who passed away in May at the age of 93, was a hugely important part of the King’s community for over 35 years. A pupil, then teacher and finally Bursar and Secretary to the Governors, David will be remembered with great affection, and great respect by many. 

A Thanksgiving Service will take place at St Mary´s Church, Codford, Wiltshire, on 8 June 2026 at 2.30pm. 

We are grateful to Tony Hein (OK 1960 and former staff) for writing this tribute to David: 

'Many of the King’s community were saddened to hear of David’s death while in Portugal on May 4th 2026.

Born in York in 1933 and educated at St. Peter’s, York, he found himself as a neighbour of a very young Judi Dench with whom he was memorably reunited, as her first boyfriend, on the stage of the Albert Hall in 2023.  David loved the late limelight.

David arrived at King’s in 1946 as a member of Glencairn, the school boarding house, and later at Weycroft in Arterbury Road, which was acquired in 1948. He always spoke warmly of the friends he made there and of his devotion to the Matron, Miss Roberts, known to all as ‘Bobs’.

It soon became obvious that David was a gifted games player and he excelled both at cricket and hockey. On leaving King’s in July 1952, two years of National Service were required. As a recruit in the Royal Artillery he underwent officer training in Oswestry and Mons. Possibly more importantly, and with a cricket-mad Commanding Officer, he soon found himself playing army cricket at near-County level alongside his close friend Tom Cartwright who later played for England.

Queens’ College, Cambridge, to read Modern Languages, was David’s next port of call and he soon secured a place in the university cricket team. Although he didn’t win a Blue he was proud to have taken to the field as 12th man in Cambridge’s match against the touring Australians in 1956.

When leaving King’s as a pupil in 1952 David had been approached by Peter Gibbs, later Head of the junior school, who encouraged him to join Teddington Cricket Club and suggested that, eventually, David might like to teach in the junior school. Subsequently David became an outstanding all-round club cricketer and a stalwart of the club for three decades. His captaincy of the Sunday 1st X1 produced a team mainly of King’s alumni, and some of the most enjoyable cricket one could hope for.

Following a year in Toulouse David began his teaching career at King’s in September 1959 as a member of the Modern Languages department. He taught German and French and pupils were impressed with his grasp of current colloquial ‘street’ French and with the easy and natural way he communicated it. All staff at that time took some responsibility for coaching games or running societies and DDCB (as he became known) took on the 3rd XV Rugby, 1st X1 Hockey and later succeeded Brian Gibbons to run 1st XI Cricket.

Life in the 1960s was busy for David and his wife Renata with the arrival of son Julian and daughter Justine and with their establishment of Townchoice estate agents in Wimbledon Village. David’s decade in charge of 1st X1 cricket was also hugely rewarding producing a series of very successful teams.

In 1970, and after 11 years teaching, David’s involvement with King’s became even more influential when he was invited to apply for the Secretary to the Governors role. The school was flourishing academically but was also a growing business where modern administrative practices were needed. David’s attention to detail, his sense of direction, his financial practicality and above all his people skills in dealing with a growing non-teaching staff all made him a perfect fit.

His central involvement as secretary to all three elements of the Planning Committee 1971-2 must have been exhausting but the results were spectacular with the provision of new facilities: the key acquisition of the Lodge and its extensive garden; a new Music School; the remodelling of the Priory; the Collyer Hall theatre; the transformation of the Little Hall area to make way for College Court; and the sports centre.  All were major development projects which changed the face of the school and ensured that King’s remained an attractive option in a competitive London market.

David widened the scope of the job and in many ways became the first proper bursar of the school bringing huge benefit to King’s during the 17 years of his tenure. His close relationship with headmasters Frank Shaw and Robin Reeve and with Cavan Taylor, Chairman of Governors, yielded an overall consolidation from which King’s continues to benefit.

Not everything went to plan in David’s personal life, however. He found it very difficult to work alongside headmaster Christopher Wightwick and found himself sitting between a somewhat divided Common Room and the Governing Body. It was a stressful time and David considered resignation. The situation was finally resolved when Wightwick stepped down.

Much worse was to come when David and Renata’s son, Julian, a 6th form pupil, was tragically killed in a car crash in March 1986. It was a dreadful accident which shocked the whole school community and shattered family life and, in 1988, brought David a change of direction and a move away from King’s.

‘Retirement’ took David to Wales, and then to New Milton, and finally to Codford where he and his third wife, Helen, who had been financial bursar at Marlborough, set up a consultancy advising and preparing future bursars in their roles. Although physically distanced from both, David continued his interest in King’s and in Teddington Cricket Club. On his yearly returns to the club, he was always surrounded by admirers who enjoyed his charm, wit and mischievous sense of humour but above all were grateful for the way he had influenced and enriched their lives.

David is survived by his daughter Justine and by his son Douglas, from his marriage to his second wife, Pat.'