In Memoriam – Bryan Ewart Watts Gransden (Day 1950)

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Bryan Ewart Watts Gransden (Prep 1947, Day 1950).

Bryan died peacefully at home on July 3, 2023 surrounded by his family and dog, Odysseus. He leaves his wife Angela, and his children Gregory (wife Paule, and sons Xavier and Jules), Kendra (husband Scott and sons Sebastian, Paris and Harley), Alexander (wife Vivianne and children Harrison, Philippa and Reginald) and Eleni (husband Stephen and children Henry and Georgina). He was revered by them all and will be missed. Bryan’s profound love for animals was only surpassed by that for his family.

He was a citizen of the world who overcame significant personal and situational adversities to flourish during difficult periods of time. He served bravely in combat as an officer in the British Army, achieving the rank of Second Lieutenant, prior to settling in Canada where he earned his Chartered Accountant designation from Queen’s University. Following a brief stint in the accounting field Bryan soon after embarked on a fascinating career as an entrepreneur in the resource industry.

Inherently an introvert, Bryan could open up with people about anything from classical poetry to rude limericks, world affairs and precious metals to name a few. He was a passionate fan of international rugby, a voracious reader who loved history & spy novels and he would frequently host legendary gatherings.

His generosity was boundless among family and friends. Throughout his life, he established bursaries and funded the development of new facilities at various international schools. He sponsored the education of countless children, including a scholarship dedicated to local, underprivileged children at his alma mater St. Andrews College, in Grahamstown, South Africa.

Bryan came to St Andrew’s Prep in 1946, and progressed to College St Andrew’s College in 1948 as a member of Day House. He excelled at academics and won prizes for Classics and Modern Languages as well as gaining matriculation distinctions for Mathematics and Latin.

Bryan recognised the power of giving back to College and Prep and demonstrated his outstanding support for our schools by making significant contributions to the 2020 Sustainability Campaign.

The list of his generous gifts includes contributions to the Prep Multimedia Centre, aptly named the Gransden-Currey Multimedia Centre, and to the strategic #AcademicExcellence project. His most profound gift was that of a scholarship to a well-deserving boy at Prep, which continued through to College. Bryan’s legacy of compassion and generosity to College and Prep will continue to inspire and impact generations to come.

He will be sorely missed.

St Andrew’s College Foundation Office, July 2023