Peter English first came to Singapore to teach in the Law Faculty at the National University of Singapore in 1979. From then until his death in February 2000, he was a frequent visitor to the Faculty, on some occasions coming to teach for no more than a few months during the summer vacation at Exeter University (where he taught for many years), on others taking visiting fellowships for as long as three years at a time. The last of Peter's 'long' visits took place between 1993 and 1996, although he continued to make frequent trips to Singapore until just a few months before he died. Those of us who were Peter's colleagues or students will remember his friendly face as he walked along the corridors, pipe in hand, greeting us in his natural and charming manner, invariably cheerful and always happy to see us.

During the 20 years or so of his association with the Faculty, Peter made numerous friends among staff and students alike. He was a man who exuded warmth, humour and scholarship in equal measure. Peter had a voracious appetite for knowledge and a wonderful memory for detail. But to Peter, knowledge was not a commodity to be guarded and used to one's advantage - it was something to be shared and spread. For this reason, Peter was a completely selfless academic. He liked nothing more than to chat about developments in the law or interesting issues of which he had heard, and he was always willing to spend time helping students or junior colleagues, whose understanding of the law was less developed than his. Peter's delightful sense of humour and highly-developed sense of the absurd meant that almost everything he talked about was laced with wit and, above all, fun.

Peter's main interest was in criminal law and the administration of criminal justice (although he was remarkably well informed about almost every other subject as well). He was a deeply humane man, and this was a quality which he illustrated to the full when teaching sensitive and sometimes distressing subjects. Not all criminal law is inherently distressing though, and some of his accounts of the more colourful cases had his students rolling in the aisles.

Peter was a marvellous lecturer of the old school. Not for him were the visual aids and many other forms of assistance on which we now draw. He simply stood at the front of a lecture theatre and kept his audience enthralled by the clarity of his delivery, his erudition and his jokes. Because he knew his areas so well, Peter was able to cut through the formalities which can sometimes make the learning process slightly tedious, and he managed to efficiently combine informative content with a brilliantly accessible style. Both his warmth and his intelligence were always apparent, and it was this combination which so endeared him to his many students over the years. He was often voted the most popular lecturer, and if you ask any lawyer in town which teachers from the Law Faculty stand out in his or her memory, Peter's name is very likely to be on the list.

In addition to his love of teaching, Peter had a great love (and talent) for amateur dramatics, and his thespian skills were now and then on display in Law Faculty revues and concerts. Peter never worried about playing the fool - he simply enjoyed entertaining others.

The news of Peter's sudden death last year came as a profound shock to his many friends. It is so sad to think that we will never again be able to enjoy his company or experience his wit and bonhomie. But he would, I am sure, be comforted by the thought that he touched so many of us in such a positive and memorable way. He would probably even be amused to think that he was having pieces like this one written about him. Peter was a very special person. He is, and will continue to be, greatly missed.

Margaret Fordham
Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore

[Note: We are hoping to establish a fund from which to provide a book prize in Peter's memory to be awarded to the best undergraduate law student in the Law Faculty each year. If any firms, corporations or individuals are interested in contributing, please contact either Bill Ricquier (tel: 539 1676, e-mail: billricquier@trc.com.sg) or Margaret Fordham (tel: 874 3615, e-mail: lawfordh@nus.edu.sg).]