Life Stories
James (Jim) Ernest Price
James (Jim) Ernest Price (1959 BSc Chemistry) died on 27 September 2025 aged 86.
It is with great sadness that we record the death of Jim Price. He is remembered with deep affection by all who knew him, and with particular gratitude by those connected to Keble, a college that shaped his life and to which he remained devoted.
Jim came up from the grammar school system in Newport, south Wales, to read Chemistry. Oxford, and Keble especially, had a transformative and joyful impact on his life. During his time in College, he captained the Keble Rugby XV in the 1960/61 season, and in the following severe winter of 1962/63 served as captain on a memorable tour to West Germany. Not a single match was played due to the weather, but the team was warmly and enthusiastically entertained by their hosts in the British Army, a story Jim delighted in re-telling.
It was also at Oxford that Jim met his wife, Margret (St Hugh’s). They were married for sixty years, celebrating their diamond anniversary in 2024. Alongside this, he formed friendships that endured for the rest of his life. Among these was the group affectionately known as the Grimpys – originally formed as a light-hearted response to the children’s club once run by Crimpy Crisps. Due to a clerical misunderstanding, attributed somewhat jokingly to fellow student David Hey’s handwriting, the Grimpy name stuck as the group was added to the Keble clubs list in 1960. Though their number has diminished over the years, the Grimpys continue to meet twice annually, a testament to the lasting camaraderie Jim treasured.
The Grimpys
After Keble, Jim spent a short period with Plessey before embarking on a successful and varied career with IBM. One of the highlights of his professional life was his time working with Aeroflot in Russia during the late 1980s and early 1990s, where he found himself an eyewitness to the 1991 Soviet coup in Moscow.
Whilst living in Bristol, Jim liked to visit the Keble Oak at Tyntesfield – once marked with signage celebrating its planting, now sadly gone, though not forgotten by those who knew its significance.
Jim and his son with the Keble Oak
After retiring Jim lived a bucolic life in Pembrokeshire, greatly enjoying time with his family (three sons, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren). Jim remained deeply attached to Keble and was grateful for the opportunities it had afforded him in life. He continued to give back to Keble as 1959 Year Group Rep and was a hugely supportive friend to the Alumni and Development Office. Jim also greatly enjoyed regular returns to Keble and the conviviality of dinners in College. In 2010, the Grimpys’ 50th anniversary dinner in Keble’s SCR was a particular highlight.
Jim will be remembered for his warmth, loyalty, humour, and the deep affection he held for his family, for Keble and for the lifelong friendships it brought him.
Kindly provided by his wife Margret and sons Matt (1985) and Nat (1990)