It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Henry Malcolm Julian Macdonald, known to many as Julian, a cherished member of the Warminster School community and a key figure in the Old Verlucian network.

Julian was a pupil at Warminster School from 1940 to 1950, and during his time here, he was a distinguished student and leader. He served as Head Boy in 1949 and excelled in sports, captaining the Cricket, Football, and Athletics teams. His exceptional talent and dedication were recognised with the awarding of School Colours—a testament to his commitment to both academics and sport.

His deep connection to Warminster School was further reinforced by his family’s legacy. His father, Ian Pendlebury Macdonald, was Headmaster from 1940 to 1958, his mother, Annie Macdonald (Hines), cared for boarders, and his stepmother, Maxence Macdonald, later became a teacher at the school.

Julian was a proud member of the Macdonald Boys, a close-knit group of Old Verlucians who attended Warminster School during the post-war years under his father’s leadership. After leaving school, he embarked on a remarkable career, joining the British South African Police, where he continued to display the leadership and resilience that had defined his school years.

Throughout his life, Julian remained deeply connected to Warminster, playing a central role in organising Old Verlucian reunions and ensuring that the bonds formed during school endured. One such gathering saw Julian and his fellow Macdonald Boys return to the school to watch a cricket match on the new pitches—bringing back fond memories of their own time on the 1st XI more than six decades earlier. 

Julian was on the editorial comittee of The Verlucian magazine. During his time working on the magazine he wrote this about friendship in 1949 at age 16, which we shared again at a recent reunion-

"Everybody has friends of one kind or another; some are just friends, casual acquaintances, others are the people to whom a genial smile and nod of the head are given on passing, and then, of course, there are the influential friends who help one on the road to success. Parents I think, do not belong in this category for they are more than friends, but it is the first few friends whom a person makes that are the most important, and they are made at school.

It is at school that true friendship is discovered, and here I mean to explore a little into what that really means. There is no doubt that in a boarding school friendship in the real sense truly manifests itself. A number of boys, varying in kind, have to eat, sleep, work and play under the same roof for a matter of ten to thirteen weeks solidly, and it is during this time a boy moulds himself to be a cog in the intricate machine of house affairs. During the period of a term, boys naturally become particularly friendly with one another, especially if they have something in common and in such a way a friendship is started.

It means a lot to a boy who has a friend he can trust, for in him he can confide, discuss problems, and ask an opinion on a matter. A true friend must often take the part of the Good Samaritan, on a smaller scale, by standing up for him in an argument; give away gifts of tuck, and sometimes act as a money-lender. These are very heavy demands to a schoolboy.

Not only has there to be a feeling of friendship between boys, but also between them and masters. Nothing is worse than a cold war between them for it creates in a school a feeling of stiffness and formality, not the easy relationships which make such a difference to the tone of a school.

During these past few years, something of this atmosphere has been achieved, partly through the presence of a keen Scout Troop and Cub Pack in the School. These magnificent organisations, living up to their mottos ' Do your best'', and ' Be prepared' have contributed to the spirit of friendship and goodwill so needed in the school.

If the younger generation realises the urgent need for friendship, and goes out into life in that spirit, surely the world will become a better place in which to live."

Julian was at the heart of these reunions, ensuring that the legacy of the Macdonald Boys endured. His warmth, dedication, and passion for the Warminster community will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Our thoughts are with Julian’s family and friends at this time.