There was a strong Cryptics showing at Peter's wonderful Thanksgiving Service. I hope that his widow and family will forgive the use of the word "wonderful" but it is hard to imagine how a finer tribute could be paid to much-love and much-missed man. A packed Holy Trinity, Minchinhampton heard moving, funny, inspiring and deeply heartfelt tributes from Peter's family and from the Cryptics' own Tony Beadles. The congregation, as instructed in no uncertain terms by the vicar, sang great hymns with full voice.
All repaired to the golf club for further reminiscences and catching up with old friends.
The Cryptics team were (not necessarily in batting order) Tony Beadles, Dougie Dalrymple, Malcom Watson, Philip Spray, Keith Geddes, Nick Priestnall, David Fawcus, Jeremy Winter
A tribute from Tony Beadles, close friend of Peter for many years.
Peter was a very loyal Cryptic and played regularly for the Club. He was a very good wicket-keeper, and a powerful and successful middle-order bat. I once stood the other end at the Carlton Cricket club in Edinburgh when he just failed by two runs to score the required 26 in an over. He scored 6,4.4,dot (I skilfully refused the single!),6,4. The last ball landed agonisingly short of the boundary!
Peter came regularly on the Southern Tour for some years. He also started with me the Scottish Tour in 1974 which flourished for nine years. Peter was Housemaster of Pinkie House at Loretto School and the touring party stayed there. He came on the very successful 3rd Tour of Kenya in 1987, and he was applauded off the field for keeping quite brilliantly in the emphatic win over the Kenya Kongonis who had five of the Kenya side in their ranks. In 1995 he came on the tour of Singapore and Malaysia as an umpire, forming a strong pair with Michael Hetherington.
Peter was a great team man, always generous about everyone, with a gift for friendship and an overflowing love of cricket. He was brought up in South Africa and had an amazing memory for the details of South African cricket.
With thanks to Chris Ward for this news from Sherbourne
It is with great sadness that we have been told of the death of Peter Lapping, Headmaster of Sherborne from 1988 until his retirement in 2000.
All those who knew Peter will remember him as a wise and deeply caring man with a great sense of pride in his association with Sherborne and of the achievements of the boys whose school careers he nurtured. It was always such a pleasure to welcome him and Diana back to Sherborne on their numerous visits.
Our Archivist, Rachel Hassall has put together a tribute to Peter’s time as Headmaster https://oldshirburnian.org.uk/school-archives-news/peter-lapping-1941-2023/
Meanwhile our thoughts and prayers will be with Peter’s widow, Diana, and other members of his family at this time of sad time.