That, however, is exactly how John Neff described the Windsor Fund that he headed for more than three decades.

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Previous recipients of the BIFF Lifetime Achievement Award include John Hurt, Jean Simmons, Barbara Windsor, Claire Bloom, Ken Loach, Jack Cardiff and Richard Attenborough.

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"John Sheardown remained a very humble man, always willing to stay in the shadow of others, and the people of Windsor remain extremely proud of his diplomatic intervention and career accomplishments, " read a proclamation that declared November 10, 2012, "John Sheardown Day" in the city of Windsor, in Ontario, Canada.

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The pairing of two canvases, "View on the Hudson" (1865) and "On the Thames, Near Windsor" (1868), by John Frederick Kensett, a Luminist, shows how the disparate landscapes of the two rivers inspired different approaches.

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In something of the manner of John Neff, who delivered high returns for years at Vanguard Windsor by owning out-of-favor banks and carmakers, Thompson has amassed an exceptional long-term record with his unloved stocks.

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The scores include a Te Deum and Benedictus by Elizabethan composer John Mundy, who was organist at St George's Chapel, Windsor.

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Using instincts rather than a formula, John Neff did much the same thing during the 31 years he ran the Windsor Fund.

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