8 My late husband, Peter Kandiah (1959), attended Abingdon School from 1954 to 1959. His years there were among the happiest of his life. He cherished the school’s beautiful surroundings, its strong traditions, and the wide range of opportunities it offered—not only academically, but also in sport, particularly rugby. The friendships he formed at Abingdon became lifelong bonds. Even though we spent much of our life overseas, Peter stayed in close touch with his school friends. Their continued companionship, along with that of their families, meant a great deal to him. Peter was deeply grateful for the foundation that Abingdon gave him. It paved the way for his career as a lawyer and a life spent working in the Bahamas, Hong Kong and, for the last 50 years, in the Cayman Islands. Beyond academic excellence, he valued the discipline, integrity and moral compass instilled in him by the school—qualities that guided him throughout his life. It was for these reasons that Peter wanted to give another pupil the opportunity to benefit from the same rich experience. He hoped to support someone who might not otherwise have the chance to attend a school like Abingdon—someone who, with the right environment and encouragement, could flourish. Peter established a bursary to fund the education of a pupil just like him and was delighted when this was matched to Pranit, bright and hardworking, who joined the First Year in 2018. Since then, Pranit has more than fulfilled Peter’s hopes. He studied four A Levels and plans to read engineering at university. I hope that, like Peter, Pranit will carry with him a deep love for Abingdon, fond memories of his school days and friendships that last a lifetime. Peter took great joy in knowing that he could help change one boy’s life in the way Abingdon had so profoundly shaped his own. With this in mind Peter also left money in his will to go a future bursary fund to help another pupil. Julia Kandiah A gentle man’s legacy: Peter Kandiah’s gift to Abingdon’s future
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