Clive Reedman

25th March 1960 - 16th February 2024

It is with great sadness that we report the death of Clive Reedman at the age of 63.



Clive, who was born on 25th March 1960, passed away at home in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, on 16th February 2024, a location to which he had recently relocated. 

Despite the move away from Sussex, Clive retained strong links with those at The Regency Town House and he will be warmly remembered by us all.

Prior to joining our team as a new retiree in July of 2018, Clive had pursued an interesting career path.  As a youngster, he went to the London Nautical School, intent upon a career in Merchant Navy. However, after leaving school he became an assistant librarian in Camden, before taking on a job in the licensing department at Scotland Yard. 

From there, Clive transferred to the Metropolitan Police, becoming a Scenes of Crimes Officer (SOCO) in the West End of London.  Later, Clive was appointed a senior member of the fingerprint department, before progressing into biometrics, a topic about which he became an authority, lecturing on the subject across Britain, Europe and the US.  

Clive’s research and development work relating to criminal forensics and biometrics, as he put it, ‘left me with a number of skills that translated well into the world of the genealogical detective’, the field to which Clive gravitated upon retirement.  

Clive studied for professional qualifications in genealogy and his work at The Regency Town House was primarily as a member of our research team.  His extraordinary talent for inquiry and his enthusiasm for collaboration quickly resulted in him leading several of our key research projects, including initiatives studying the Elm Grove Workhouse and Warren Farm Industrial School.  He also became involved with us on the historic-building-consultancy front, making important contributions to the history of several significant buildings across the country.  

Besides contributing his time and expertise to our efforts, Clive raised funds for the mental health charity MIND and assisted with a project for homeless people along the south coast.
  

A funeral service will be held for Clive, at Bierton Crematorium, Hertfordshire, at 3pm on 22 March. The service will also be live-streamed for friends and family that cannot attend in person.  All who knew Clive are welcome to join, either in person or via the internet.  If you plan upon attending, please contact: nick@rth.org.uk, by 21 March, to confirm your participation and receive full details relating to the day.

In the late spring or early summer Clive's ashes will be scattered in Brighton and a reception in remembrance of his life will be held at The Regency Town House.  Details of this event will be posted once arrangements are finalised.  

A tribute page for Clive has been set up at: clivereedman.muchloved.com. This enables the leaving of condolences, the sharing of memories and donations to MIND (UK Charity Registration No. 219830).  

Nick Tyson, Curator, The Regency Town House