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Alistair Charteris Duncan MBE

Alistair Duncan was in born Assam, India, on 10th October 1927, and died in London on 14th April 2007. He served with the Seaforth Highlanders, with detachment to the SAS, his army career taking him to the Middle East and Cyprus. Upon leaving the army he decided to develop what had become his abiding interest in the Middle East by pursuing his photographic passion in the region.

Alistair’s first published work was Land of the Rock, 1966. He was later able to gain special photographic access to the Dome of the Rock, where his photos formed the basis of The Noble Sanctuary, 1972. This was followed by The Noble Heritage, focusing on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, 1974. He became associated with The World of Islam Festival Trust and became its director in 1976, a post he held for many years. It was his energy and determination that saw through the publication by the Trust of a number of significant, major publications, notably Mamluk Jerusalem, Ottoman Jerusalem and – the final element of the trilogy (forthcoming 2007) - Ayyubid Jerusalem.

Alistair was more than a passionate advocate of interfaith matters and the situation in Palestine/Israel. He regarded himself as a ‘facilitator’ bringing together different parties, often with different viewpoints. There are many people who owe much to his gentle and discreet intervention on their behalf.

Alistair was a familiar and active figure among a host of organisations concerned with Israel/Palestine and interfaith matters. His absence will be deeply missed, as will his unflagging good humour, wise counsel and straightforward decency.

Margaret Butcher

Friends will be sorry to learn of the death of Mrs Margaret Butcher, widow of Canon Douglas Butcher, on 9th April 2007, at Bramley House, Mere, Dorset.

Canon Butcher served in Cairo up to 1956, when all British subjects had to leave Egypt. When he returned in 1960, first as Chaplain in Alexandria and then Provost of Cairo, he was gallantly reinforced by Maggie, his organist-bride from his church in Hampstead. On return to England they served in a parish in Swanage until retirement to Gillingham in Dorset in 1978, where Douglas died in 1998. The Jerusalem and Middle East Church Association is grateful for the most generous legacy she left in her Will.

John Eaton

John Eaton, who died on 26th April, was a teacher at St George’s School, Jerusalem for three years from 1953, and towards the end of that period was Acting Headmaster. On returning to England he taught Hebrew and Old Testament Studies in the University of Birmingham for over 40 years. He kept links with JMECA’s work, receiving ‘Bible Lands’ for over fifty years. He is survived by his wife Margaret.

Dr Nabil Shanshoun

Bishop Mouneer writes:

I am so sorry to inform you that Dr Nabil Shanshoun, a visiting Consultant Surgeon at Harpur Memorial Hospital passed away in March. It is a great loss for the hospital and the church in Menouf. Dr Nabil was born in 1942. He served as the Vice Chairman of the Church Council of St Mark's, Menouf. Since 1980 he was involved in the work and the training of doctors in the hospital. He was a very gifted surgeon, compassionate to his patients and very encouraging to his colleagues. He was a very intimate friend of mine. He dropped dead during the Sunday service in Menouf.

Dr Nabil had a son, Dr. Bassim, who works as a Resident Surgeon at Harpur, and a daughter, Dr Enas, and she works part time as a Paediatrician at Harpur.