MATTHEW ARNOLD (1978-85)

Matthew Giles Sorrell Arnold (1978-85) died in the Thames Hospice at Maidenhead in early August 2026 aged 59. He had been diagnosed with tongue cancer in December 2025 which spread to the lymph nodes in his neck. Major surgery and radiotherapy and chemotherapy followed in January 2026. But the cancer proved to be very aggressive, and eventually further treatment became impossible. He left a wife Sue and two daughters.

Matt joined the Junior School at the College in Winter term 1978, moving to Macquarie Division in 1980. He reached the Upper VI form, played in the Hockey 1st XI in 1985 and was a drummer section leader in the Band. After Pangbourne, he went to Nottingham Trent University.

Post-university he joined the family recruitment business in Maidenhead, working with his two older sisters. A recent LinkedIn entry stated: “Extensive experience in high level Executive Search across Technology, Business Consultancy, Retail, Media, Online, Manufacturing and Financial Services. Particularly interested in cutting edge technologies and emerging markets.” The company was dissolved in 2026.

Beyond work, Matt was a keen cyclist, played hockey for Maidenhead and Wallingford (with George Gale (1981-85), and belonged to Maidenhead Golf Club for 26 years and Saunton Golf Club in north Devon for ten years.  He was also a regular attender at OP Golf Society meetings and won the President’s Cup three times in 1990, 1991 and 2008.