Henry Kendall MCDONALD

1927 - 2014  (86 years)

• Name	Henry Kendall MCDONALD
  Birth	Dec 1927	Camberwell RD   [1]
  Gender	Male
  _UID	05534395FAC84E89BCD1BD32AAA4BDD22274
  Death	15 Jan 2014	Thurlstone, Devon   [2]
  Burial	24 Jan 2014	All Saints, Thurlstone, Devon   [3]
  Notes	From divernet.com: Kendall McDonald dies 15 January 2014 Kendall McDonald, celebrated chronicler of British diving and shipwrecks for more than 50 years, has passed away at the age of 86. Having applied his journalistic skills as Managing Editor of the London Evening News newspaper, McDonald turned his working hand to the world of wrecks after becoming hooked on sport diving in the early 1950s. As one of the British Sub-Aqua Club’s earliest members (number 23), McDonald did much to foster training and active diving within his own BSAC branch and as a member of the club’s National Diving Committee. He played a key role in organising the second World Congress of Underwater Activities in London in 1963. Outside the club, McDonald had a large influence in publicising the growing sport through press, television and radio. For instance, he wrote and presented Britain’s first TV series about diving and was one of the first journalists to dive on the wreck of the Mary Rose in Hampshire’s Solent. McDonald served as BSAC Chairman from 1975 to 1977, after which he carried out more overseas diving than before. He reported from destinations including Florida, the Bahamas, Caymans, Virgin Islands and the Turks and Caicos, at a time when few British divers holidayed abroad. Following his chairmanship of the BSAC, McDonald remained an honorary life vice-president of the club. Amongst specialist press, he was a regular contributor to BSAC publications and to the club’s magazine Neptune. He continued to contribute to the magazine’s descendant, DIVER, up to 2011. He is the author of some 30 books, including the Diver Guide series on wrecks around the coasts of Britain, still sold through Underwater World Publications. McDonald won the BSAC’s Colin McLeod Award in 2009 for his contributions to diving publications. In the same year he was elected to the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame. He enjoyed living at his 18th century cottage at Thurlestone in South Devon, surrounded by his collection of some 800 wreck books and other documents. He was taken into care for the last two years of his life, finally succumbing to pneumonia last weekend. McDonald’s wife, Penny, pre-deceased him by four years and his son, Kevin, by six years. He is survived by his daughter, Joanna, and grandchildren Samantha and Ross. Individuals who would like to pay their respects are welcome to attend a remembrance service at All Saints Church in Thurlestone on Friday, 24 January at 3pm. The service follows a private cremation. Cards or other written messages can be sent to Joanna Acourt at Cradles Cottage, Thurlestone, Kingsbridge TQ7 3NE.
  Person ID	I308	Great Horkesley, Essex
  Last Modified	12 Dec 2019

  
  

  Father	Henry Richard MCDONALD,   b. 27 Nov 1882, 8 Upland Road, East Dulwich d. 8 Dec 1961, Westerham, Kent (Age 79 years)
  Mother	Maude Kendall HILL,   b. 23 Mar 1889, Bethnal Green, London d. 1 Jan 1948, St Marys Hospital, Islington, London (Age 58 years)
  Marriage	31 Oct 1922	St Matthew's Church, Upper Tulse Hill, London   [4, 5]
  	Henry Richard McDonald, full age, bachelor, journalist of 21 C--- Road, Herne Hill, father's name and occupation written as (deceased). Maude Kendall Hill, full age, spinster of 75 H--- Road, Brixton, father William Kendall Hill, retired. Both signed full names. Witnesses F J Fields, A Herring.
  Family ID	F18	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Penelope Mary HARDY,   b. 4 Dec 1930   d. 30 Apr 2010, Kingsbridge, Devon (Age 79 years)
  Marriage	Sep 1955	Worthing RD   [6]
  Children	1. Kevin K MCDONALD   2. Joanna K MCDONALD
  Family ID	F767	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	9 Jan 2013

  
  

• Sources

  [S178] BMD index, Q4 1927 Camberwell 1d/963. (Reliability: 3). [S408] divernet.com. [S56] 1841 census. [S178] BMD index. [S455] London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1940 at ancestry.com. [S178] BMD index, Q3 1955 Worthing 5h/1248. (Reliability: 3).