Conrad Colson

It is with the greatest sadness that we are letting everyone know that Conrad Colson passed away in March 2022.

Conrad was so loved by his friends and family and losing him in such an untimely manner has left us devastated.

Many of his best friendships were formed over 20 years ago at CLS in classrooms and between sneaky cigarettes behind the DT block. In those formative years at school, where everyone was struggling to find their authentic self, he was a mate without pretence. He had an amazing ability to be both shy and squarely at the centre of the chaos that boys whip up in their teens. His loyalty to his friends was intense and it was rare to have such an excellent listener amidst the years of teenage attention-seeking. As we stepped up forms, he grew in confidence and chimed in with the timing of a comedic genius, saying the unrepeatably funniest thing you’d heard that day or week.

Back at CLS, Conrad often sought refuge in the art department – either painting in a cubicle or smoking on the roof. The teachers knew he was there, but gave him the space he needed to get away from everything when times were tough. And when he wasn’t in the art block, the top playground was a highlight of his day. If anyone got to witness his menacing left boot, they know he could have played football for one of the CLS XIs, but it was an active choice of his to spend each week outplaying us in the “rejects” on Wednesday afternoons.

Conrad was a tremendous artist. The shoots of his interest in making music began in break times and developed over shared earphones wired into cd players on the central line after school. He enjoyed a fruitful creative spell of music production before university, going under the moniker – “Inkliing”. Early in his journey, his music was heavily influenced by old-school hip-hop. This then graduated into more downtempo jazz and trip-hop stylings. His unique soundscapes were recognised when he featured on two Nightmares on Wax compilations and he released three further EPs – “Inkliing”, ”Bounce” and “Generals”. As he matured in his 20s he experienced highs and lows that jolted him into experimenting with house and dance genres with particular euphoric / melancholic synth signatures. Not long before he died, he had created some of his most textured work. He had prepared for a rebrand for his next EP to be released simply under his own name – Conrad. This music is being mastered by some of his old friends and producers and we hope it will be released in time.

A successful third sector career was built by Conrad following university. He was a prolific fundraiser and raised a total far exceeding a million pounds for charities such as Parkinson’s, Shift.MS, Reprieve and Anna Freud Centre – a truly remarkable feat in such a short timespan. His choice in career and refusal to boast about the numbers, was a testament to his character –  quietly helping vulnerable people and increasing visibility for those who were suffering under the radar. His colleagues noted he had such a gentle charm and yet was fearless with voicing his opinions on how to elevate the causes he championed.

When we met Conrad in the pub, as we did very frequently right up to his death, he was that rarest thing: curious about the lives of others, and humble about his own achievements. He was always there for us, lending an ear as we grew from teenage angst to near-middle age moaning. On the day he died it was a group of us who met at school who raised a glass and shed many a tear for him.

A part of his life that cannot be ignored is that Conrad had long-struggled with a debilitating mental illness called Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). It was a battle that began in his teenage years and had pervaded his normal adult life. Whilst his death was a shock, the more his friends have learnt about the condition he suffered from, the more it is understood how much danger he was in. Conrad knew he might be able to support other sufferers of BDD and used his free time to raise money for a tiny charity that helped him immensely over the years – Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation (BDDF). By all accounts, Conrad was vocal with his experiences at support groups to let others know they were not alone and this provided strength to many BDD sufferers. As his friends we want to be open about the fact that Conrad killed himself, and that suicide is something we need to talk more about.

Conrad’s friends are channeling efforts to continue his work by raising awareness of Body Dysmorphia, talking openly about suicide, and raising cash for BDDF. Please do get in touch with the CLS alumni team for more details.

We will miss Conrad for all time.

Raman Kamboh (Class of 2006)

With thanks to his classmates, particularly Raman Kamboh (Class of 2006).