Obituary: Former Mill Hill chartered surveyor and Arsenal supporter dies

A former pupil of Merchant Taylors' School who lived in Hempstead Road, Watford, since 1969, Bob played for the Old Merchant Taylors' Society and captained and opened the batting for the third XI.

A chartered surveyor in Mill Hill, Bob was also an Arsenal supporter and founded and ran the Old Merchant Taylors' snooker club. His love of sport was a constant in his life.

Robert Thomas Norman Devonald was born on November 11, 1931. He was the only son of Norman and Mildred Devonald, who lived in North London, and had two sisters, Peggy and Pat, who are deceased.

Bob attended Merchant Taylors' School from 1944 to 1948, but his interest in cricket was evident from a very young age.

His cousins Anne, Roy, Silvia and Michael, fondly remember their younger days together when he and his family stayed at Stuchbury Hall Farm during the Second World War for two years. The family recall him as a little boy running around saying "let’s play kicket!” on the old tennis court. As he got older his enthusiasm and expertise out shone everyone.

A teenage Bob Devonald

Bob's style was always more Boycott than Botham, more Tavaré than Tendulker. He would bat carefully and accumulate runs rather than be a dasher. His ex-wife Rosemary and all Bob’s children remember watching their father play cricket at the weekend.

After his playing days were over, Bob was a keen snooker player and he established the OMT club. He captained the team and the club invited professionals to do exhibition matches which most memorably included Silvino Francisco and Allison Fisher.

Rosemary and Bob used to have bridge evenings and enjoyed a very active and happy social life. She remembers going to see Watford FC in the 1960s and 1970s with Ian Shearman, his best friend and best man when they got married at Harrow on the Hill. Colin Branston was his other main school friend.

Bob loved playing golf at some incredible courses and reached an impressive level. He continued to follow sports until the end of his life.

His youngest son, Peter, remembers going to many cricket games at Lord's with his father.

On one occasion Viv Richards hit the ball hard - and it was searing towards a very young Peter. He sat there dumbstruck, scared at it as it zoomed towards him, couldn't move for fear. And just before the ball hit his face his Dad caught it cleanly.

Bob Devonald with a lamb on the farm

Intelligent and well read, Bob was still doing the Telegraph cryptic crossword in bed towards the end of his life. He read so much - a few days before his passing he even read a mighty tome on the Zulu wars.

Bob worked most of his life as a chartered surveyor and managed his own company, ‘Devonald and Co’, which stood proudly on Apex Corner in Mill Hill.

Bob was also generous with his money, helping out all his children at different times, supporting them in their chosen professions and helping them buy their homes.

He enjoyed collecting stamps, tokens and souvenirs; making model ships in bottles; doing jigsaws and crosswords; watching old Western movies and films. He retained to the very end a great enjoyment of games and gifts - and the family are thankful he had such a happy last Christmas.

Bob loved nothing better than watching Test cricket, snooker or football games, applauding and supporting his teams.

He would watch any form of cricket, but especially Test matches, “real cricket” as he’d call it. He loved watching all the internationals, and even enjoyed the 20:20 games to some extent, although he always wryly referred to that form of cricket at OMT as "beer matches" rather than proper cricket.

Bob died in his own bed in his own home to the sound of cricket playing. Australia and India were involved in the most amazing series versus India and Arsenal had won their last three matches.

Bob Devonald died quietly and peacefully on January 5, in his 90th year. He is survived by his three children, Richard, Julie and Peter, and two grandchildren, Luke and Maya.