Chris will be missed by his family and friends.

We are conscious that some people from the time when Chris was at the School may not be in contact with us and we would ask if you could pass on this information to those that you know.

As is the usual practice, we would like to place an obituary for Chris in the 2023-24 OI Journal and would be very grateful for any stories or memories you may wish to share which we could put together for the publication. Please address any contributions to me through oldipswichians@ipswich.school

Sally Webber

OI Chair

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It is very sad to hear that Chris is gone. I joined Ipswich in 1972 and knew Chris in my lower/upper sixth years. We sat next to each other in some classes and I remember he gave me lifts occasionally in his Triumph open top sports car – very cool. He was a really nice guy and condolences to his family.

Uly Ma (known at Ipswich as Ulysses Ma, Westwood 1972-1975)

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Chris and I have known each other since joining the prep in class D. He always had the latest gadgets long before they became mainstream and I remember the novelty of hide-and-seek with radio walkie talkies in his garden in Kingsfield Avenue, when we were only aged 9. He was never one for abiding by rules and I recall speeding along the prom at Felixstowe late one Saturday night at 16 years old, he on his Yamaha FS1E and me trailing on my inferior bright yellow Puch maxi. He was the first to get a sportscar (brown triumph spitfire IV) from which he sold some very dubious shirts from its boot one break time – they were cheap though – they shrank to half the size when washed! 

We shared many things including A-level notes and a few girlfriends…. The former was particularly annoying as having cribbed our engineering notes all year while he was otherwise occupied by the attentions of his wife Lesley, he surpassed us all with A grades.  He was a very cheerful friendly bright and colourful character who left us a bit too soon. He will be missed by many.  

Peter Hatcher (OI 1963-75)

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Chris Dawson was a gifted entrepreneur and property developer whose vision and determination created business opportunities across Suffolk. But family always came first, with his wife Lesley, who he married in 1980, their son Ben and daughter Milly, and their grandchildren. A sense of adventure was at the heart of the family’s life together, sharing sailing and motor-boating experiences in Suffolk and the Mediterranean, flying helicopters, skiing, collecting cars and enjoying holidays with friends. His gentle sense of humour and warm personality were enjoyed by a circle of close friends and wider family.

Chris and Lesley’s home at Pettistree was a haven of fun for over 40 years. It was also where Chris dreamed up his latest projects and there were many. After running a successful commercial property agency in Ipswich, he began developing Masterlord Office Village in Ipswich. Offices at Brightwell Barns, then offices and industrial units at Clopton Park followed, both now managed by Milly and Ben Dawson. He also developed Riduna Park at Melton and gave a disused Pettistree pub a new lease of life as a well-being centre and 12 self-catering suites. He was still dreaming up new opportunities when he passed away from cancer on 24th May, 2024. Chris’s life was full of love, adventure, ambition, encouragement, generosity and many, many stories. His enthusiasm for life was infectious, with family and friends invited along for the ride.

Alan Ayres (OI 1964-69)