Barry Thornton arrived at DHS from the United Kingdom in 1958, a year older than the rest of the class. He was a tall, blond boy with a pleasant, confident manner and was well liked. He also had a classic upper-class English accent, which seemed to give extra resonance to his pronoucements. He repeated a year and passed his J.C. exams in 1960. So far as we can determine, he left the school then.
Barry was an enthusiastic sailor and was a well-known figure at the Point Yacht Club for many years.
Barry married Sally in 1968 and they had three children. He operated various businesess in Durban, including an awning shop and a petrol station. The family emigrated to the UK in 1993.
Barry joined the class website in 2015. Despite the passage of more than half a century since he left the school, he reported "I am amazed at how memories flood back when I see all the names".
Barry passed away in or around 2017. He was survived by Sally, his wife of almost 50 years, and his three children. Unfortunately his family has not responded to requests for information about his life in the UK, or the exact date and cause of his death. Please let us know if you have any further information about his life, in or after his time in Durban.
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