Backes & Strauss will always remember David Lee
Sadly, David Lee, formerly Managing Director of Backes & Strauss in London for many years, passed away on the 4th of July 2020.
David, born on 17 March 1945, attended Whitgift School, where he was a keen rugby player. On leaving Whitfgift, he followed in the footsteps of his father, Robert Lee and entered the diamond trade, working initially for Mr Lewis, a successful retailer in Hatton Garden as a runner. This gave him an introduction to all of the various tradesmen in the diamond business and would prove invaluable in his later years as a diamond salesman. David then spent several years at De Beers, before joining the London office of the world's oldest firm of diamond merchants, Backes & Strauss. He became Managing Director in 1977, a position he held for many years until leaving to be their registered agent in 2004.
David was a regular visitor to Dublin, where the majority of his customers traded. Indeed, he joked that he had become an honorary Irishman, having been born on St Patrick's Day! Highly respected in the trade and for many years a Director of the Gemological Institute of America, he continued in semi-retirement to keep a keen interest in diamonds and to source diamonds for family and friends.
David joined the HAC in 1963, where he formed many of his lifelong friendships. Joining the Infantry Battalion, he served in its No 4 Company, and later the Light Company, being a mortar-man in the Support Weapons Platoon. He retired as an active soldier in 1973 and is remembered as a very proficient and popular soldier.
While serving in the Regiment and working nearby, David continued his interest in rugby, playing for many years for the Old Whitgiftians, and then for the HAC, for which he was Captain of the 'B' XV for three years in the early 1970's. Stepping down as Captain, he moved to the 'C' XV.
He was a keen and talented salmon fisherman throughout his life, spending a week's flyfishing with his family on the River Garry every year. He also visited his father and stepmother at their estate in the Algarve with his family for over 40 years, at the same time partaking in his hobbies of golf and tennis and spending many happy outings sailing on his father's boat.
Later in life David developed two great sporting passions: golf, and deer stalking. Indeed, such was his dedication to the game, his willingness to play whenever possible, and his support for the HAC Golf Society, that he was appointed Hon Sec of the Society in 2013, serving it faithfully and well.
David was a keen amateur drummer, an expert on steam engines, should have won Mastermind for his in-depth knowledge of his specialist subject, Spitfires, and also an excellent backgammon player.
Vartkess Knadjian of Backes and Strauss writes: I joined Backes & Strauss in the summer of 1976 as a trainee diamantaire. I was to stay in the London office for a few weeks and head out to Antwerp. Two weeks into my stay in London, I was thinking that I had made the wrong choice and that I might have been better off taking up offers I had in banking. Then all of a sudden, David Lee turned up: he had just been appointed Managing Director of the London operation at the very young age of 31. He took me under his wing and within days, I was shadowing him as he prepared the assortment of diamonds, visited his clients, and made some spectacular sales.
It didn't stop there: I was very quickly introduced to the Admiral Codrington and Raffles on the Kings Road, and at the weekend played rugby for the HAC 2nd "XV", which he captained.
Having been born in Ethiopia, my Ethiopian passport required me to need work permits wherever I was working. When my application to work in Belgium was turned down, I returned to London, where David welcomed me with open arms, both to the office and as a lodger in his Battersea flat.
“David and I worked together at Backes & Strauss for over 30 years. It was a privilege to have him as a mentor, colleague and partner. I believe I had a rare relationship with David: it was more than being professional colleagues. I was honoured and delighted when David and Susie asked me to be godfather to Miranda. We travelled together on business to the USA, Canada, and India. He came regularly to Antwerp on buying trips and would stay with me: each trip was memorable.”
Richard Dickson (formerly of De Beers) writes: Just over 57 years ago in early 1963, David walked the walk down the length of De Beers long 4th floor sorting room at 2, Charterhouse Street. The sorters with radios looking like deaf aids in an ear would have watched to weigh up the new man on the floor. We became instant mates and that was the start of a lifetime's friendship.
It was also the beginning of his almost lifelong career and involvement in the diamond/gem/jewellery industry. He had been introduced by his father, Robert Lee, from Backes & Strauss, to learn the requisite skills and knowledge of defining rough diamonds.
“There were over 5,000 classifications of rough diamond by size, shape, colour and quality. Size was easy and done by scales or sieves. But to differentiate between shape, colour and quality required patience and skilled judgement since the differences were invariably infinitesimal. David was a natural diamond sorter. It was in some ways a strange working environment: quiet and no chatter. One day we entertained some Australian girls I had met on the ferry home for lunch at The Mitre. When we returned rather jolly, we got the most civilised rollocking that we were being noisy!”
David's time at De Beers was the start of his career in the industry. Like most of us, we never lost our fascination and love of diamonds. Later working at Backes and Strauss, where he succeeded his father as London MD, David's sense of humour, friendliness and natural ability to get on with anyone was recognised by so many in The Garden, with whom he always had time to have a chat. He was probably the best-known gentile “diamond geezer” in Hatton Garden.
Although our careers went in different directions, our friendship never lapsed. Later when we both holidayed in Scotland, David on his annual week's fishing, by coincidence within half an hour's drive of one another, he and Susie often came for dinner.
Happy memories, happy days. Centuries ago, when members of the HAC gathered after drill for a drink, they parted saying, "until our next merry meeting". So David, until then, keep the champagne well chilled and the claret at room temperature. Adieu old friend.
Leo de Vroomen writes: Shortly after I arrived in England in 1965, I started teaching at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in Holborn's Southampton Row. When I started my own workshop, my fellow tutors recommended the firm Backes and Strauss, where David was working, as the place to buy one's diamonds.
“So, in 1969, I met David and bought my very first diamonds from him. As a young goldsmith starting out in business, my purchases were insignificant to say the least, but David could not have been more helpful: he welcomed me into the world of diamonds with invaluable advice and guidance.”
Many of my students who also met David were also treated with the same helpful kindness.
Over the years, our relationship developed into a close friendship which continued long after David's retirement.
Paul Sheeran of Paul Sheeran Jewellers, Dublin writes: David played a massive part in my life, being the first person I turned to 30 years ago, when I opened my jewellery business. He was a true mentor, teaching me about the diamond market and helping me on my way.
“I still have two gifts he gave me when I opened my shop. I refer to them as ‘My Luck Loop’ and ‘My Lucky Leverage Gauge’, and to this day, if anyone removes them from my desk, they are dicing with death.”
David really did help me and believed in me when others didn't. I now have one of Ireland's most successful jewellery businesses, and I thank him for that. After a day's work, we'd go to Keogh's Bar in Dublin, where we'd order 3 pints of Guinness and a pint of red wine for David, to much amusement of everyone there.
David was old school, with his deep bellowing voice, woolly socks, and his gold loop hanging from a fob chain, he would light up the bar, regaling stories of his beautiful wife, Susie, and telling us how proud he was of his children. One story in particular I recall was of how when he was sorting diamonds at his desk at Backes & Strauss, after a hard night out he had fallen asleep on the melee he was sorting, only to be woken by his father returning from lunch with his co-directors, who told him to wipe the diamonds off his forehead.
He did business his way, and it was a nice way. We all miss him here in Dublin, and always remember him very, very fondly.
Arthur Woolgar, formerly of Backes & Strauss, writes: From the first day I met David at my interview with B&S, he was a congenial host, taking his role as MD of B&S and representative of Bonas & Co seriously, but always ready to lead the troops into client entertainment when required. David's popularity with staff and clients was obvious from day one. He enjoyed the friendship and loyalty of longstanding clients including David M Robinson, J H Lucas, Roger Wood, David Soley, Trevor Tyler, David Blackman, Willie O'Connor, Liam Brereton and McDowells in Dublin to name a few.
David's close connection with ex-colleagues at De Beers gave B&S a chance to enjoy overseas clients seeking suppliers. David's ability to outbid the trade at the Cricket Dinner Tombola was legendary, always for a charitable cause.
“David had a lively circle of friends, mostly from the HAC. and I shared many congenial evenings in their company. He will be truly missed as one of life’s characters. I enjoyed and respected him as a colleague and friend.”
Shaun Avery of Kernow Facets writes: My memories of David will always be dominated by my early years at Backes and Strauss, learning from him, being motivated by him and generally being enchanted because of him, with the diamond industry and the pivotal role that he and B&S played in it.
Back in the summer of 1987, I shall never forget being interviewed by his larger than life figure, a diamantaire with a booming voice, a rugby forward physique and a Groucho moustache. I emerged from those interviews eager to say goodbye to my previous professional life in offshore oil exploration and to fully immerse myself in the world of diamonds. That was the influence of David, his charisma and the extroverted, warm and magnetic personality he exuded.
There are so many memories, from charity gala balls and celebratory dinners at the HAC, the wonderfully lavish corporate entertainment B&S events in Antwerp, to the diamond buying trips and rugby internationals at Twickenham.
“All of my memories of David are endearing and timeless. He was a one-off, an inspiration, so much more than a respected colleague and boss. He will be forever missed.”
Christopher Bull of Dimexon writes: I have so many happy memories of David, so much laughter and so much fun. I remember May 1982 as I was earning money as a decorator somewhere in Fulham and receiving a call from David asking me to come for an interview. I politely asked when he would like me to attend. He said, "where are you now?" When I replied Fulham, he said, "Great, see you in 45 minutes then!" Life as it became started then and I started working for Backes & Strauss in September.
“He was such a warm, larger than life figure to me. He would always brighten a room with his presence and humour.”
David is survived by his wife, Susie, whom he married in 1979, by his sons James and Charles, his daughter Miranda, his 5 grandchildren and his sister, Nessie.
