Remembering Eric Pattison

We are saddened to hear of the death of Eric Pattison, alumnus and long-time friend of the University. 

Eric Pattison was born in 1931, the son of a colliery worker, and schooled in Ferryhill, County Durham. After a childhood in the North East, Eric journeyed south joining the University of Sheffield to study English Literature.

As a student, Eric became a Stephenson Hall member when it first opened in January 1952. It was the first student hall built in Sheffield, and most of the residents were first-generation university students benefitting from the Butler Education Act of 1944. Eric graduated with undergraduate and masters degrees in 1953 and 1954 respectively.

Following his graduation, Eric took part in National Service, and later pursued a career with Inland Revenue. After training as an Inspector, he served in Northern Ireland for several years before opting to go to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur to work in the tax services there.

Back in the UK, Eric’s career flourished with stints in training, taxing foreign banks, and then a variety of senior roles in Head Office and Regional Network. He was always admired for his sharp intelligence, general perceptiveness and pragmatism. Alongside his work, just as he had both at school and University, he enthusiastically joined in with dramatics societies and took part in multiple public performances.

Eric retired in 1990, and spent years travelling the world, often on specialist and cultural tours. Eric held an especially avid passion for theatre and the opera, both of which had always been a big part of his life. This passion was indulged to the full for the next 30-plus years. He made many friends, who all agreed it was always fun to listen to his impressions of places and encounters with eccentric people - Eric was widely known as an especially knowledgeable, kind and modest individual.

In particular, Eric’s memory for what seemed like every production of a play he had ever seen was phenomenal, and he’d often be found comparing and contrasting actors’ performances in the same plays decades apart. He was a regular attendee at the Shaw & Stratford Canada Festivals for many years, and one of his fellow Stratford-goers made the following tribute:

Eric was the epitome of the English gentleman for this woman from the United States. His knowledge on myriad subjects and especially the world of theatre was astounding. He will always be a happy memory for me. 

A Stratford Canada festival-goer

About Eric Pattison

When the University of Sheffield Campaigns and Alumni Relations Office formed in 2002, Eric was one of the first people to respond to the communications sent out to former students. He took time out of his evenings to speak to current students over the phone, imparting his knowledge and experience to a new generation of English scholars. He also attended events including a reunion dinner in 2013.

Eric was very generous with donations to the University since first becoming a supporter in 1992. His kind gifts helped many important research causes, and supported many students whose experience of Sheffield was improved greatly as a result. For those gestures, the University and the individuals he benefitted will always be extremely grateful.

Eric last visited the University in 2019, when he was taken on a tour of the modern campus by Debbie Beaumont-Thomas. He thoroughly enjoyed seeing some of the newer buildings that had emerged alongside the ones he recalled so well from his own time as a student some 60 years ago.

We will remember him very fondly.

The University is grateful to Eric's friend Jon Crisp for creating this eulogy, and for enabling us to share Eric's story.