OBITUARY

An obituary for Chris is now online here.  It is in a journal he often wrote for and is by a former student of his plus his wife and his son

JR

Funeral notice



In one week's time, Chris' funeral and memorial and thanksgiving service will take place in Edinburgh.

"In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the Galton Institute (a learned society concerned with the scientific study of all aspects of human heredity)."

Also see a photo of Chris. Shiou thinks this one capture his character very well -- gentlemanliness, intellectuality, humour, warmth, generosity, and inquisitiveness.

Shiou has received many messages from his friends, students and supporters all over the world. Among these, there is a particular message from a young researcher which bears mentioning here. He says Chris "was a lion among sheep, brave, steady, and brilliant."

She says this is exactly what she knew of Chris for many years and that all the messages which she got have indeed comforted her. It reminds her of 'St Crispian's Day's speech' in Shakespeare's Henry V, remarking: "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers".

A tribute to Chris from Dr Stuart H Russell

I was very saddened to hear of Chris’ passing – he was one of the few sane voices prepared to speak out on the topics of IQ, race, general intelligence, and the Politically Correct, unholy trinity of “Racism, Sexism and Homophobia”.

As a non-psychologist myself, I first became aware of his work around 1997, after he was so badly treated by Edinburgh University (or “Luni-versity” as Chris would put it) and fired for speaking the truth.

Over the passing years I enjoyed many a long telephone discussion with Chris, regularly punctuated by his infectious chuckle, and a number of visits to Edinburgh followed, where he and his delightful wife Shiou treated me like royalty – on one such occasion near a very snowy Christmas, they proudly showed me around the Edinburgh National Gallery, with particular attention to Raeburn’s “Skating Minister”, followed by a very jolly dinner in the Gallery’s restaurant!

Chris’ writing style is not only skillful, well-crafted and insightful but also very funny.

Let us hope his blog “IQ & PC” remains on line (or published) for all to see and remember this remarkable man’s contribution to truth and civilisation

A picture of Chris and Dr Russell in front of a pub

Via Shiou

Funeral of Chris Brand

I have received the following email from Dr. Shiou-Yun Fang

The date for Chris' funeral and memorial and thanksgiving service has just been set. They will take place on the 26th of June (Monday). The funeral will start at 2:30pm, for family and friends. Then is the memorial and thanksgiving service for the public which is going to be held in St Peter's Church, Lutton Place, Edinburgh at 3:30pm. This is the church Chris and I went every Christmas Eve. It has warmly-decorated interiors and the two vicars there are well known to us. After the service, there will be a reception in the sitting room of our Brand's mansion. I started joining his life in 2000. From close friends, I have heard lots of amusing stories about many parties that he had thrown there before. I believe that Chris will like the reception being held here.

I have received the photo below from Shiou: happy times for her and Chris at a Boxing Day party. You can see how well Chris did to get a lady who was beautiful and accomplished.  In a comment on the happy photo, Shiou said poignantly: "My happiness has been changed to much pain and grief".  I feel her grief.  A quality lady -- JR

IN MEMORIAM: CHRIS BRAND

The last 12 hours have been very tearful for me. After a long battle, Chris Brand has just passed away.  Chris and I were born on opposite parts of the world but we could well have been twins. We were the same age, we both had a classical education (though Chris acquired his in  circumstances much more distinguished than mine) and both of us were very self-confident and independent and thought very similarly.  To defy all the nonsense that is taught in our society we had to be very self-confident and independent.  Both Chris and I waged an unrelenting war on political correctness.

Sadly, I never met Chris in person but I am pleased I had a proxy with him up to the end. My stepson Paul and I had always got on exceptionally well.  Paul too is very independent and there was a time in his teens and early 20s when I was the only person Paul would listen to if any kind of advice was being offered.  So when Paul moved to Edinburgh for business reasons I was greatly pleased that I could send him a friend very much like myself.  And Paul did indeed develop a great friendship with Chris.

Something that upsets me about Chris's death is that I could have prevented it if I had known earlier what I know now.  He died in an NHS (government) hospital of hospital-borne infections. He got one after another, progressively weakening him until he had nothing left to fight with.  NHS hospitals are riddled with hospital borne infections and Scottish NHS hospitals are said to be worse even than English ones.  Private British hospitals are however usually free of such infections.  With the benefit of hindsight I would have asked Paul to put Chris in a private hospital very early on.  I could have funded it and he would be with us today.

Curse and goddam the NHS!

It is however a comfort that Chris's wife, Dr. Shiou-Yun Fang [nataliasyfang1974@gmail.com] sat with him to the end.  Perhaps in deference to a Chinese custom she even sat with him for some time after he died.  She is from Taiwan and is a distinguished art historian. Those who enjoyed Chris's thoughts in life may wish to comfort her in her great loss by sending her your condolences and prayers and recollections of Chris's wisdom. I will leave his blog in place for as long as Google permits it. -- JR