In Memoriam

Roger Mayhew (1962 - 2026)

Roger Mayhew died on 15 March 2026, nine months after being diagnosed with brain tumours.

Roger started walking with the SWC from around 2012. At that time he was working in the City, selling shares in Japanese companies to institutional investors.

His considerable skill at doing this allowed him to retire in his early fifties, and to pursue his principal passion, which was to support orchestras and choral groups specialising in the music of Baroque composers such as Bach and Handel, and individual singers at the start of their careers.

Underpinning his career success was Roger's instinct for assiduous, uncontrived networking. He remained in touch with influential figures long after he left the City, and was equally known to the Baroque music community, as evidenced by the joint press release which represents an impressively large proportion of the UK's groups specialising in this field.

The extent to which many SWC members know each other was deepened from acquaintance to strong friendship as a result of his influence and generosity.

Roger was always reluctant to take no for an answer. This quality was put to use for the benefit of the SWC on several occasions, when he persuaded pubs that had reported themselves to be fully booked that they could, in fact, accommodate one more table for lunch.

We have missed Roger on walks these last months and many SWC walkers will no doubt have their own fond memories of him.