A PHYSICIST and poet from Oxford has died aged 70.

David Chapple was lecturer for Oxford University’s Department for Continuing Education in particle physics, quantum physics and cosmology.

An accomplished mathematician, he was also a published poet, a licensed pilot and was involved in the development of lasers.

His friend and colleague, Desmond O’Sullivan told the Oxford Mail: “David was a true polymath and a man of phenomenal talents, both broad and deep.

“The gravitational pull of his cosmology lectures at Oxford University drew together a merry band of co-travellers every Thursday evening in Banbury Road.

This week’s obituaries:

“Heady concepts were washed down with heady pints of Timothy Taylor, or in David’s case, pineapple juice.

“He was a true star, shining brilliantly bright, showing the rest of us the celestial way on dark, wet winter’s nights in Summertown.”

David Chapple was born in Skipton, North Yorkshire, on March 6, 1944, to parents Sidney and Jennifer. He grew up in Swansea with his sister Jennifer and was a pupil at Dynevor School, before becoming an apprentice fitter and turner at Baldwin’s of Swansea.

He married Sandra, nee Taylor, in 1957 in Swansea and the couple had four children, Susan, Jonathan, Derek and Timothy.

They moved to Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1970 when Mr Chapple took an engineering job at Ferranti.

During his time there he started lecturing and by 1980, when he and his family moved back to Swansea, this was his profession. He and Sandra divorced in 1989.

In 1996 Mr Chapple moved to Oxford, to lecture at Oxford University. He was in part following his children, three of whom had moved to the county to study at the city’s two universities.

Mr Chapple’s hobbies included martial arts, marathon running and playing the organ.

David Chapple died due to pneumonia, caused by motor neurone disease, on October 15 at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.

A funeral was held in Clyne Chapel, Swansea, on October 22. He was buried in Oystermouth Cemetery, Swansea.

Mr Chapple is survived by his four children, his sister, and nine grandchildren.

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