The late Malcolm Cleroux (June 05)

We were shocked by the news of Malcolm's sudden death in an accident at Scaynes Hill on Easter Sunday. Joan Denley, Secretary of the St Francis and Hurstwood Park Hospital Museum wrote movingly of Malcolm's enthusiasm and involvements in the Mid Sussex Times and in the Citizen. Thanks to Joan for letting me carry her piece for the Friends of St Francis site


Joan writes :


'As members of the St Francis and Hurstwood Park Hospitals' Museum Trust we would like to put on record how devastated we were by the death of Malcolm Cleroux in an accident at Scaynes Hill on Easter Sunday.


He was a founder member of the trust, vice-chairman of the trustees and had been involved with the museum for 20 years.
The prime motivator, on the closure of St Francis Hospital, in arranging the storage and preservation of the museum's collection for the future, his extertise and knowledge of the history of the hospital was invaluable and will be sorely missed.
His dream of re-establishing the Hospital Museum and Social History Centre, although unfulfilled to date, will hopefully be realised, in the not too distant future.


On a broader base it will reflect not only the history of the hospital but also the town of Haywards Heath and the railway and their interdependency.


We hope that this will be his legacy and as he worked tirelessly towards this goal, we will do our utmost to see it realised.
A brilliant musician, he worked as a music therapist at the hospital, and in conjunction with the Council for Music for Hospitals, arranged many recitals, including the memorable visit of the National Youth Orchestra to St Francis.


His first consideration was always the welfare of patients and this continued after the closure of St Francis with his involvement, mostly voluntarily, with various mental health charities, both locally and in London.


He was deeply committed to community relations and social justice issues, sitting on at least 15 committees and acting as advocate where needed.

His kindness, integrity and enthusiastic goood humour will be sadly missed by all who had contact with him as witnessed by the large numbers who attended his funeral at Isfield, where he was organist and choirmaster.


He was a truly selfless person and the trustees feel proud to have known and worked with him.
Joan Denley.'