Ian Kinnear Campbell - 1926 – 2026

Ian Kinnear Campbell passed away peacefully on 13 May 2026 in Stellenbosch at the ripe old age of 99 years and 7 months.

Ian left Bishops having matriculated in 1944 from Gray House, after which he did Post Matric.  

He was born in 1926 in Somerset, England, the eldest of two brothers.

Ian described himself as a ‘very ordinary’ Bishops Boy. He was not a prominent sportsman but took part enthusiastically in a variety of activities including hockey, tennis and golf. He sang in the special choir and in post matric, particularly enjoyed the subject of Music Appreciation with Claude Brown.

He was a member of the Foreign Affairs Society managed by Hubert Kidd. He was interested in all aspects of natural history and founded the school Archaeological Society together with Keith Jolly (later a professor in this subject), Christopher Steytler and Hugh Gibbs. They cycled regularly around the Peninsula and Overberg looking for artifacts. Ian remained a keen collector of rocks, fossils and semi-precious stones throughout his life. He enjoyed cadets, took part in the first aid platoon, was Sergeant in charge of the armoury and a member of the shooting team.

The College grounds were much less developed in his day and the boys were regularly roped into gardening chores. He remembers a storm in 1943 which, on one wild night, blew down all the mature pines lining the Avenue inside the entrance to the school. The boys helped plant new saplings. These ‘Stone Pines’, iconic to the school’s environs, are the ones that line the Avenue, still, today.  

Ian was a keen gardener. His maxim was that plants must fend for themselves once lovingly inserted into the soil. His ‘green fingers’ were evident in his development of the property at Heather Cottage in Ida’s Valley, Stellenbosch, from a neglected hillside into a feast of breath-taking colour and variety.

Immediately after school, Ian joined up for active service in the Second World War which was nearing its end. He joined the Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Rifles which were part of a composite battalion known as the DSR, a name made up from the designations Dukes, Transvaal Scottish and Rand Light Infantry. After pre-deployment training at Potchefstroom the DSR were transported in Dakotas to Helwan in Egypt and then on to Italy in troopships.

At this stage of the war the Germans were fighting rear-guard actions, blowing up bridges and resorting to delaying tactics as they retreated northwards.

The DSR were never able to catch up with the enemy and the only shots he heard fired in anger were in Turin. He recalled his platoon lying low in a market square with bullets flying overhead between rival factions of Italian partisans! Provisions in war-torn Italy were in short supply and he recalled experiences of cold and hunger and eating twelve eggs at one sitting at a remote farm! He also recalled the great beauty of the countryside around Lake Como and the Italian Riviera.

Ian retained his interest in the military by volunteering time in the Active Citizen Force. He joined the Cape Field Artillery as a gunner in 1950 and later was appointed to the rank of Staff Officer in 71 Brigade, headquartered at the Cape Town Castle where he served until 1982. He was promoted to the rank of Major and did two tours of duty in the operational area.

One of Ian’s great attributes was his care for others. He was deeply concerned about the elderly and military veterans, particularly those who had fallen on hard times. He joined the Cape Town Branch of the South African Legion in 1965. Later, he became Branch Chairman and finally Branch President. He was particularly involved with the establishment and developing of Rosedale, today a thriving home for elderly ex-servicemen.

Returning as a veteran from the war, Ian found further study difficult and, on a whim, began work in a lowly position at the fish canning firm of Federal Marine. He remained there his entire working life. Over the years, he rose through the ranks to being Packaging and Quality manager. This position entailed regular inspections at fish processing factories up the West Coast and into Namibia where he could indulge in his passion for collecting rock samples. His knowledgeable experience and advice about the fishing industry was highly valued in later years.

After he retired, Ian spent countless hours over many years helping set up the Fishing Museum which began at Hout Bay harbour and is now housed at Laaiplek on the West coast.

Ian’s Christian faith was a corner stone of his life since his conversion as a young soldier in Italy. He consistently lived out caring and Godly values and mixed with parishioners from all walks of life. He was a voluntary Church Warden at St Mary’s Anglican church in Stellenbosch for nearly 20 years.

Despite volunteering his time in many good causes and charities, Ian was foremost a family man. Always checking on everyone’s welfare with love and support. He wrote hundreds of letters to his 4 children, 9 grandchildren and even to the oldest of his 11 great-grandchildren!

When asked by an interviewer, a few years back, what life had taught him, Ian did not hesitate to say, “To find happiness in everything I do. And I can say I have had a happy life.”

Tom Campbell

Eldest son, OD (1972) and Prep Staff (1997 – ).