Geoffrey S Finn BCom FCIS
Master 1986

Died 2009

Past Master Geoffrey Stuart Finn, B.Com., FC.I.S., FR.S.S., (R.S.A.) was a faithful and much respected member of our Club.  He progressed through all the Offices of the Club becoming Master in 1986.  On completing his term of office he remained to support his successors for the next twenty-four years.  Geoffrey was one of our most well liked Past Masters not only for his efforts on behalf of the Club but for his unfailing courtesy and kindness to everyone. His year of Mastership coincided with the Mayoralty of Sir Allan Davis who at the time was our Club President.  One of the highlights of the year was the Ward Club Annual Luncheon which we held in the magnificent dining hall at Mansion House.  

Geoffrey was born in London in 1930 but during the war the family went to live in Derby where he went to school at Bemrose Grammar. 

At the end of the war the whole family returned to London where Geoffrey completed his education at The Regent Street Polytechnic at the age of 15yrs 10 mths.  Being too young to go to University he went to work gaining work experience and then at the age of 18 he went to London University obtaining an economics degree B.Com. 

Immediately on graduation he went into the Army to do his National Service in The Royal Army Ordnance Corps. The Army was most helpful by allowing him to continue his studies in Oxford after completing his initial training.  There he took a British Business Management Diploma. Towards the end of his National Service he was posted to Whitehall to work on the Queen's Coronation. 

On leaving the Army Geoffrey started work as a trainee stockbroker with Joseph Sebag and shortly afterwards he met Miriam. The were married in 1955. Geoffrey still wanted more qualifications and so he enrolled in a course of study to become a Chartered Secretary - he won the prize in the UK & Commonwealth in Mercantile Law. 

In 1957 their daughter Wendy was born and not long afterwards Geoffrey wishing to further his career went to work at W.I.Carr where he was made a partner. 

Again Geoffrey changed situations and went as a partner to Rowe & Pitman where he stayed until it was taken over by S,G, Warburg becoming a Director of S.G.Warburg Securities.  After a brief spell working as a consultant he retired. 

Geoffrey Finn was also a talented writer and he wrote a weekly article on Fixed Interest firstly for the Telegraph and afterwards for The Times and for various magazines at different times under the name of Stuart Haverstock (he was not allowed to use his name at that time as it would have been classed as advertising).

 Geoffrey was an ardent supporter of the City and he became a Liveryman his mother company being The Worshipful Company of Tallow Chandlers, he then joined his professional company The Worshipful Company of Chartered Secretaries & Administrators. He became Master in 1996/7. Geoffrey loved music and was also a Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Musicians. 

Geoffrey remained an active supporter of Cripplegate Ward Club until his death in 2009.

He was a Life Govenor of The Imperial Cancer Research Fund, (now Cancer UK), Leukaemia Research, London Youth, serving on The City Committee. He had a life-long intere.st in education and until shortly before his death he was a governor of Bacons College, Rotherhithe, he also helped many young
people achieve their academic potential. 

His social life was wide-ranging, he was a member of the City Pickwick Club as well as many others.  However he had resigned from a couple prior to his death. Geoffrey had been associated with these for some time:  The MCC., The Carlton Club, The City Club, The City Livery Club, Leander, Steward Heneley Regatta, Royal Automobile Club, Phyllis Court, and the Royal Mid Surrey Golf Club.