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Memorial Keepers(2)
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Victoria Anne Sinclair, Dr
10th October, 1983 - 30th May, 2026
10th October, 1983 - 30th May, 2026
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Tributes
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Laura Burgin
+3
I first met Victoria about 20 years ago in the queue for matriculation at Reading. We heard each other’s accents and had a brief chat about being Scots down South. I properly got to know her when I joined her New Year gang. I say “her” because she was most definitely the driving force getting us disorganised bunch together. Some of my favourite New Year memories were the one with the dog food curry, the one when Lesley was too stationary and indoors, the one when the bacon sandwich was TOO LATE, the one with the dog in the bag and the one when Ewan’s drone disappeared next to GCHQ Bude. No matter how much she drank she was always ready for a big hike in the pouring rain the next day. Unlike Rob and Ewan who tried their best to win “Sloth”. Rob and I also had many other adventures with “The Finns”, kayaking and skiing holidays. Always instigated and organised by Victoria of course! I hope to emulate even a tiny bit of Victoria and have more adventures and good times with friends. You gave such beautiful speeches on Saturday, Ewan and Sam. It was always clear how much she loved you both. My daughter summed it up after a visit of theirs to ours “I miss Victoria, she is so fun and so kind”.
Lesley Dunstone
I am very grateful to have had Victoria as a dear friend for over 20 years. I knew Victoria as a Meteorology undergraduate in the year above me at Reading but it was on her return from a year in Oklahoma that we became friends while doing our PhDs together. Victoria was always so much fun to be around, with that fantastic spirit of adventure that we all remember so well. I remember the "advanced step" aerobics classes during our PhD days, with Victoria in the front row, always smashing the choreography while the rest of us tried to keep up! A group of us did the London to Brighton cycle ride in 2007, and even though Victoria was riding an old mountain bike with a broken gear shifter, she and Ewan still managed to get to Brighton seafront well before the rest of us and were happily installed in a pub before we arrived. I remember evening climbing sessions with Ewan around the time he and Victoria got together, and knowing they were perfect for each other. Fun times at their house on Alpine Street (with the additional excitement of the not-quite-finished decking) and a great send-off when they moved to Helsinki. I needn't have worried about losing Victoria as a friend then - she was so good at keeping in touch with friends back home. So many wonderful memories of our various trips and holidays. All the New Years in freezing stone camping barns, sometimes in pretty deep snow. An adventurous summer holiday in the Alps with via ferrata, cycling and glacier walking. Skiing holidays when my morning lessons were followed by adventurous afternoons tagging along with Victoria and Ewan following the pistes from one valley to another. I loved spending a few days in February 2013 visiting Victoria and Ewan in Helsinki, with cross-country skiing and amazing wintry walks. It was always great to have Victoria and Ewan staying with us in Devon, and I have happy memories of visits to the beach and walking down the River Otter. One of the things that I love about Victoria is how she was so encouraging. She inspired me to achieve and experience things that I remember with happiness and pride, and for that I am very grateful. Cycling up the Col du Galibier, Victoria's shouts of "Don't stop!" got me to the top. I was thrilled to be part of Victoria and Ewan's wedding and have wonderful memories of that beautiful sunny April weekend. I loved the coincidence that our parents lived close to each other and really enjoyed meeting up in Fife in the Christmas holidays. Happy memories of meeting up at Fisher & Donaldson for stovies or fudge doughnuts, and Anstruther for fish & chips and a walk along the coast path. The sudden loss of Victoria has been hard to come to terms with. She has had such a positive impact on my life and given me so many wonderful memories. I had been very much looking forward to more adventures together in the future. Our thoughts are especially with Ewan and Sam. Sending lots of love. Lesley, Nick & family xxx
Claire Ryder
+2
I first met Victoria when we did our undergraduate degrees together at Reading. We shared many experiences over the years - we were both among the first Reading cohort of 5 to go to Oklahoma for a year, and we both had an undergrad scholarship working at the Met Office - and shared lifts back and forth to Bracknell every day for 6 weeks during the 2003 heatwave. During the year in Oklahoma we became a very close, small group navigating the US system of HE, and had a few travels to San Francisco and Alberquerque together. We both went on to do a PhD at Reading, and shared many fun nights out, conference trips and PhD ups and downs. We kept in touch after Victoria moved to Finland and it was always great catching up with her. I loved seeing what she was up to with her cycling and skiing. I can hardly believe she's not with us any more, and send all my thoughts and love to Ewan, Sam and the family.
(Anne &) Jasun
+3
to Victoria's family and friends: i was lucky to meet Victoria and Ewan in this life, and i consider them amongst the best of friends whom also consider us friends. they were always kind to me and generous to a fault. this one time they gifted me a couch the size of a saltwater crocodile and even helped move it into my flat! --- Anne and i were privileged to attend, before the height of the COVID pandemic, the wedding that Victoria and Ewan planned in an old manor house in Scotland. we revelers, surrounded by trees and wildflowers and union and joy. in doing so, Anne got to meet many of my far-flung-but-best friends of yore, including my ever optimistic neuro friend Aline but also our misanthrope climate scientist friend Ale and our ever-wait-thats-totally-amazing! climate journalist friend Rae Ellen (.. the latter two who ended up marrying each other and who now have a totally cute kiddo). seeing them marry each other, Victoria and Ewan, may have unfolded a possible path to me. in my earlier, limited imagination, i may have had little or no brain space to consider marriage seriously .. other than this kind of thing happens to most people, sooner or later, at least as far as i've heard. not that they get all the credit, but seeing Victoria and Ewan marry and at dinner and hearing toasts, and then looking at Anne, who was across the table, glowing happy with joy .. i guess, it allowed me to consider greater things for us .. as they say to then turn husband when before .. "I looked upon her with a soldier’s eye, That liked, but had a rougher task in hand Than to drive liking to the name of love. But now I am returned and that war thoughts Have left their places vacant, in their rooms Come thronging soft and delicate desires, All prompting me how fair [she] is, Saying I liked her ere I went to wars." so in some sense, Victoria and Ewan taught me about love, by good example, as well as the hope and faith but also the doubt and yet the teamwork that comes with love. i guess i was then able to see not only how people marry, but why. --- sometimes i am struck by this sudden wave of realisation, that wait: no. i'm never going to see Victoria again. how is that possible? how can we live the rest of our lives this way?.. of course, no, we have no choice, but facing this kind of unknown, to keep living without Victoria, seems to me like it will be a challenge for all of us. then i think otherwise at other moments. i think about wonderful moments we shared with Victoria. another way to think about it, i suppose, is that we were so lucky to have known Victoria at all, and those days and moments of joy and good fun are ones that i will keep like treasures. in that my life would have been a worse life, had i never known Victoria. perhaps many of us also feel the same. i guess i am trying to smile when not in tears. we will always remember Victoria with love, ~ A& J.
Francis Noone
+1
Having known Victoria for nearly 20 years since she started dating Ewan in Reading, we are truly devastated to have lost a good friend and a wonderful person. Our first impression was that she was instantly likeable, funny and had a solid Scottish accent to boot. At that point decades ago we didn't know how many adventures we'd share with her over the years we've known her. Victoria's determination, sense of adventure and her ability to know exactly what to do in any situation were striking. She was always kind and thoughtful to us and our girls, helping them on their first ski trip and even buying sledges to bring along so they could enjoy the slopes. She was the perfect fit for Ewan and we feel truly honoured to have enjoyed many happy times in her presence and we would have loved to spend many more. She and Ewan helped us do things we may never have tried, creating memories that will never fade. Such a big loss and we are so sorry that we didn't get time to enjoy more adventures together. Our thoughts are with Ewan, Sam and family having lost such a good soul. She'll always be carried in the hearts of those that knew her. Thinking about her friendship brings a warmth that will not age. Thoughts and love from Fran, Sarah, Martha and Grace
Adam, Helen, Bea and Jazzy
We met Victoria once she and Ewan became an item many years ago! I warmed to her immediately, and we often talked about hiking trips in the mountains. I remember some great discussions and laughter, particularly when a bit of hiking or walking story embellishment was corrected! It is abundantly clear from her personality and warmth why she was loved and cherished by so many people. I feel greatly honoured to have shared some time with her. Although filled with great sadness, as one reflects on these events it makes you realise that everyday really does count and its really important to take on those crazy adventures (whatever form they take) just like Victoria did. We will greatly miss you Victoria. Our thoughts are especially with Ewan, the Sinclair family, and her close friends at this time, as well as with everyone who knew and loved Victoria.
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