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Peter Langley (Nicholson 1956-58) - Died 15th January, 2011
by Martin Langley (Nicholson 1956-61)
My brother, Morley Peter Aubrey Langley was born in Pretoria, and passed away on 15th January, 2011 in Benoni, South Africa
aged 70 years, succumbing to cancer.
The eldest of four children, Peter attended primary school and initial secondary school in South Africa before attending
the Prince of Wales School where he joined the 3rd form. Sporting activities were hampered by asthma and after an average
academic career, finished his time at the PoW as a prefect in Intermediate -
see 1958 Nicholson prefects.
After leaving school, Peter went to Natal University for two years and briefly taught maths in an Asian school in
Kampala before being admitted to Brighton College of Technology in 1961 where he studied electrical engineering.
Brighton was a happy time for him, where he made lifelong friends and earned a diploma which qualified him for
membership of the Institute of Electrical Engineers. He also met Daphne in Brighton and they were married in
late 1964. In 1967 the family embarked on the USS United States bound for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where Peter had
landed a job with Westinghouse Corp. After a successful career in America, in 1975 he decided to return to South Africa
where our Mum and Dad had relocated from England. The family, by now having grown to five, settled in Boksburg, on
the East Rand. As the years passed, he changed jobs, moved house a number of times and added a 4th child, Jennie to
the brood. Moving house provided the opportunity to hone his home renovating skills in carpentry, brick laying, tile
setting, electrical wiring and gardening. He was working on a magnificent fishpond with a fountain and sophisticated
filtration system, when he passed away.
A modest and private man, Peter carried himself with quiet dignity, except when he was invariably late, when he drove
like Stirling Moss to make up for lost time. He always dressed with sartorial elegance and bore ill fortune with
great stoicism. His calm demeanor won him many friends and much affection. He will be sorely missed by wife Daphne,
offspring Robert, Susan, Jimmy and Jenny and siblings Martin, Andrew and Diana.
The Langley brothers, Kampala, Dec 1956 (L-R: Andrew, Martin & Peter)
Peter in November 2010
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