David Witchell: suited on Saturday

I worked with David from time to time, usually when an exchange fee scandal had to be resolved, and John Parcell wanted it dealt with quietly and effectively.

David was very quiet, diligent, understated and highly effective.

When I first got to know him, I thought, at first, that he lacked a sense of humour. How wrong I was! He had a very dry sense of humour but a sense of humour nonetheless.

I remember one day in my internal exile in Commodity Quay (Parcell had fallen foul of Glen Renfrew, and I was banished along with him) when I came into the office on a Saturday morning to clear up some work, and there was David in his office, dressed in a suit.

I went over to say hello and asked him if he was going on somewhere after dropping into the office.

David looked at me in surprise and said no, just the office. He then wanted to know why I had asked that question.

I explained that as he was wearing a suit and it was a Saturday, I thought he must be going on to lunch.

He said, "I am wearing a suit as I am in the office.”

When I told that story many times over the years, David saw the funny side of it and joined in the laughter. ■