Ran Laurie

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William George Ranald Mundell Laurie , better known as Ran Laurie (born June 4, 1915 in Grantchester , Cambridgeshire , † September 19, 1998 in Hethersett , Norfolk ), was a British rower . He was successful with the two without a helmsman and became Olympic champion in this discipline in 1948. He was the father of actor Hugh Laurie .

biography

Ran Laurie was born in Cambridgeshire . He began rowing while attending Monkton Combe School near Bath and joined the prestigious Leander Club in Henley-on-Thames . From 1933 he studied medicine at Selwyn College of the University of Cambridge . He took part in three boat races against the University of Oxford and was successful each time. The crew also included John Wilson , his rowing partner in later years. At the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin , Laurie rowed in the British eighth , which took fourth place. In 1938 he won the Henley Royal Regatta with Wilson in two without a helmsman .

The Second World War interrupted Laurie's sporting career. For ten years he worked for the Sudan Political Service , the administration of the Sudan colony . In 1948 he won the Henley Royal Regatta for the second time with Wilson, and a month later he won the gold medal on the same regatta course at the 1948 Summer Olympics .

In 1951 Laurie was elected steward of the Henley Royal Regatta and was therefore jointly responsible for its organization. From 1954 he practiced as a general practitioner in Oxford for over 30 years . From 1959 to 1969 he was on the committee of the Duke of Edinburgh Award , from 1986 to 1989 he chaired the British branch of the children's charity Save the Children .

Laurie was married to Patricia Laidlaw from 1944 until her death in 1989. They had two daughters and two sons; the youngest child is actor Hugh Laurie , who was also successful as a rower in his youth. In 1990 Laurie married Mary Arbuthnott and died in 1998 at the age of 83.

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personal data
SURNAME Laurie, Ran
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Laurie, William George Ranald Mundell
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British rower
DATE OF BIRTH June 4, 1915
PLACE OF BIRTH Grantchester , Cambridgeshire
DATE OF DEATH September 19, 1998
Place of death Hethersett , Norfolk