OBITUARIES

ANDREA GOODWIN (09-20)

DIED 16 JANUARY 2020, AGED 57

Andrea Goodwin joined the

RGS in June 2009 as Bursar’s Assistant following the retirement of long-serving Valerie Armstrong. Coming from Newcastle Legal Centre, she clearly possessed the requisite skills to support Bursar Richard Metcalfe in meeting the ever-increasing demands from government that the school prove itself compliant, by means of a mountain of paperwork (much of it via the Bursar’s Office), covering a wide range of activities including safety on school trips, Safer Recruitment of staff, Health and Safety and the rest. Richard and I can boast that our judgement of Andrea’s skills was accurate! Indeed, so precise was her attention to detail and her insistence (of herself, as well as of others) that things be done right, that we soon wondered how we had coped before she came.

Meanwhile, the Independent School Standards against which the school was inspected (over 400 by this point) and, still more exigent, the labyrinthine and exponentially-growing requirements of Safeguarding regulations with regard not only to the appointment of staff but even to the approval and monitoring of visitors to the school made us realise that, like most independent schools, we should appoint a dedicated Compliance Officer. Andrea was the natural, indeed the obvious, choice. And she rose to the challenge. With tactful but indomitable firmness, essential when colleagues understandably resented the imposition of additional paperwork, she made sure that, among many other things, every school trip (by then, approaching 300 a year) was fully documented and signed off; that every staff appointment (teaching and support staff alike) and even the admission of visiting coaches or speakers was accompanied by the required criminal record checks and verified references; and that all the myriad school policies (too many to count) were published and updated as required. If you haven’t worked in a modern independent school office, you may find it hard to comprehend the enormity of this burden: but it’s broken many a school administration. Not the RGS, however. In December 2015 the Independent Schools Inspectorate announced that they would be arriving in a few days’ time—when, by unfortunate coincidence, Andrea was on jury service. However, every document demanded as evidence was immediately located and made available, and she even managed to chide one inspector (who had kindly delayed his meeting with her and the Bursar until she had returned from a day in court) who had somehow got hold of an outdated version of a policy. His criticisms evaporated as soon as he was presented with the correct, compliant version.

The process of independent school inspection is a hard grind: though, arguably, not as hard as the task of being constantly prepared for it (I can say these things from the safety of retirement!). But my memory of that inspection, from which the school emerged triumphant, with the highest possible grades in every aspect, centres on that scene, Andrea serenely unflappable, the inspector quickly moving into reverse gear. Normally modest almost to a fault, Andrea did manage a smile of satisfaction! Notwithstanding the need for her role to be implacably demanding at times, Andrea was a team-player, a huge asset to the good-natured, hard-working atmosphere in our newly created openplan school office. She loved the school and paid it the compliment of entrusting her much-loved son Harry to the Sixth Form: he thrived, excelling academically and on the hockey pitch, and added joy and pride to her experience of the school. Alas, shortly after I retired, Andrea’s illness returned: tragically, this time even her indomitable spirit could not defeat it. The huge crowd at her funeral, held just before lockdown prohibited such tributes, bore testament to the esteem and affection in which she was held. The school owes her a great debt, misses her hugely, and offers its love and sympathy to Harry, husband David and all her family.

By Bernard Trafford Headmaster (08-17)

DF ‘FRASER’ DENMARK (55-65)

DIED 29 JANUARY 2021, AGED 73

Fraser died peacefully, but

suddenly, in Melton Park Nursing Home after stoically enduring Parkinson’s Disease for a number of years. Fraser represented the school at swimming and tennis, once competing at Wimbledon. He was a lifelong frustrated supporter of Newcastle United, his father having been a former club captain shortly after the Second World War. From leaving school Fraser went to St Hild & St Bede College, Durham, before entering the teaching profession and devoting most of his career to Walbottle & Blakelaw Schools. He leaves behind a widow, Jill, a daughter and son, their respective spouses, and four grandchildren.

By Gordon Pargeter (55-63)

OBITUARIES

DIED 20 MAY 2021, AGED 75

ALAN SIMPSON (66-89)

DIED 15 MARCH 2021, AGED 94

Alan Simpson was only the

second Biology Master in the history of the RGS. His predecessor, George Pallister had been in post for the previous 40 years. There was one Biology lab, situated on the Pinfold which is now under the motorway.

A Mancunian proud of his heritage, Alan began his teaching career at Lancaster Grammar School but came to the RGS from Preston Grammar School. His daughter Anne remembers visiting the old Biology department as a fouryear-old and witnessing her father release a bird that was trapped in the rooftop greenhouse.

When the City Council placed a compulsory purchase order on the Pinfold, the School opted to have the building replaced in kind, so the South Block was planned. Using his connections with Manchester Grammar School, where he had been a pupil, Alan’s design for the new RGS Biology lab was modelled on the MGS Sixth Form format, since Biology at RGS was then only taught at A Level.

Hardly had Alan settled into his new realm when the appointment of a new Headmaster, Alister Cox, brought Biology into the main school curriculum. An Assistant Biology Master was appointed in 1974 and Alan became Head of Biology. He oversaw the expansion of the Department from a one-man-show to one that (almost) matched its science sisters at the north end of the school with three labs, three full-time teachers, a lab assistant and one part-time teacher.

Alan was easy-going as a Head of Department and encouraged his staff to develop the teaching syllabus and Department facilities. He held a few strong views which could sometimes be expressed quite vehemently but his approach was generally restrained and professional. He was a genial figure in the Common Room—but I’ve never seen anyone else put so much sugar into a cup of coffee!

Alan regularly contributed poems to Novo using the nom de plume Asymptote and sang in the RGS choir. Outside school he sang with Cappella Novocastriensis, went Scottish Country dancing with his wife Nina and grew prize-winning cacti.

Alan was a devoted family man and celebrated his Golden Wedding before Nina’s death. His last years were blighted by vascular dementia but he remained cheerful and continued to interact with his family. He is survived by his son, Christopher (69-79), daughters Anne and Rosemary, grand-daughters Rachel and Lily and great-grandson Gabriel.

By Tim Bolton-Maggs (STAFF, 74-04)

A longer version of Alan’s obituary is available at www.rgs.newcastle.sch.uk/ rgs-family/ona-magazine D avid Rainbird, universally

known as Dave, died suddenly and peacefully at his home in Wallasey in May this year. After leaving the RGS, where he held a scholarship, he attended St Catherine’s College, Oxford, graduating in History in 1967. After that he completed teacher training, also in Oxford, before joining the staff of Croxteth Comprehensive in Liverpool, the city where he spent the vast majority of his teaching career, ending at the Bluecoat School.

A dedicated Geordie, sometime supporter of the old Gateshead FC and then Newcastle United, Dave also had longstanding left-wing convictions which he expressed in school debates, student societies and in local political organisations. Widely travelled and widely read, he maintained an extensive circle of friends drawn from his school, university, social and professional environments, and he spent his retirement in an enviably sited flat overlooking the Wirral coastline, model location for someone with a lifelong interest in the maritime world. Talkative, affable, well informed and responsive to others, Dave was the ideal conversationalist, dinner guest and drinking companion. He is survived by his sister Ann, her husband and her son Christopher, to whom we offer condolences.

By John Parkin (53-63)

DIED 26 JANUARY 2021, AGED 80

Pauline Perella joined the Maths

team in 1982. She soon proved herself an able teacher, popular with boys and staff alike. Equally and imperceptibly she soon became a mother figure to us all.

Gifted with unlimited patience, she was constantly in demand by pupils. One of her specialities was worksheets, personally prepared to address some point. They appeared as a collage of photocopied questions, orientated in all ways to cover the page.

Pauline impressed too by her breadth of outlook. Conversation with her would range over history and other humanities, Geology and Sciences. Along with Dr Geoff Swinden (69-98), she ran the Bridge Club every Friday night after school; under her leadership, RGS was represented at competitions around the country. She thoroughly enjoyed the drama productions and music concerts. She was immensely hard-working and never seemed to lack time to cope.

She carried responsibility for the organisation of the 11+ entry examination. Her challenge was to assess the mathematical potential of children at that formative age, a role to which she was instinctively well suited! The Maths’ team had an annual get-together. Pauline embraced the role of hostess at her turn and we had many happy gatherings at her house. Hospitality, human warmth, empathy and generosity seemed to be hers in the most natural way.

Pauline retired from RGS in 2003. She has had a long retirement, though sadly marred in recent years by ill health and disability. She was a great friend, colleague and teacher and has enhanced the learning of so many pupils. Her five children had a wonderful mother and Malcolm a wonderful wife. Our sympathies go to them all.

By Peter Mitchell (STAFF, 80–03)

A longer version of Pauline’s obituary is available at www.rgs.newcastle.sch.uk/rgsfamily/ona-magazine

ROGER A PATTIE (56-66)

BORN 1947, DIED 15 JUNE 2020, AGED 73

Roger A Pattie, son of Gladys

Pattie (née Lidington) and Robert Pattie, was born in 1947 and lived in Jarrow, joining J2a in the Junior School in 1956.

His older brother, Ian Pattie (53-63), was also an RGS student. In School, Roger showed a talent for technical subjects and so it was no surprise that on leaving School, he went on to study Production Engineering at the Nottingham College of Technology before serving in the Armed Forces as Senior First Officer on Tridents. He spent his later life in Whitchurch-onThames in Oxfordshire. A loyal supporter of the Bursary Campaign, on his death Roger left a significant gift to support talented students without the means to attend the school, to have the opportunity to join RGS.

By Louise Piffero, (STAFF, 21–)

DR GEORGE DAVID HURRELL

(44-50)

BORN 1932, DIED 22 MARCH 2021, AGED 89

George David Hurrell, known as

David, was the son of chest physician, George Hurrell. He began his career as a houseman at Royal Victoria Infirmary Newcastle then completed National Service largely in Troon on the Ayrshire coast. After a year at Dilston Maternity Hospital he spent a year as a trainee GP with Dr Wilfred Hall in Embleton on the north Northumberland coast. He entered General Practice at Prospect House in the west end of Newcastle, where he remained for the rest of his career.

He was held in the highest regard by his patients and colleagues and was a conscientious and committed doctor. In retirement he undertook regular medical boards and took up golf to go along with his passion for music, walking, gardening and DIY. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Joan, four children and eight grandchildren.

By Professor Sir Alan Craft, Emeritus Professor of Child Health at Newcastle University

OBITUARIES

DR GEOFFREY NORMAN MARSH MBE (38-40 & 44-48)

DIED 1 FEBRUARY 2021, AGED 90

Geoffrey attended the RGS from

1938 until evacuation to Penrith in 1940.

He was unhappy away from home so he returned to attend school in Heaton until 1944 when he rejoined the RGS until 1948. In 1948 he entered Newcastle Medical School which led to a 34 year career as a GP in Norton, Stockton on Tees during which he took a national role in helping to transform General Practice from its 1950s pattern of doctors working independently to its current pattern of multidisciplinary teams and targeted preventive work. In the 1970s a sabbatical in Burlington, Ontario followed by Visiting Professorial posts at the University of Iowa and McGill University, Montreal gave him the opportunity to study primary care organisation in Canada and America and stimulated his work in researching and developing British general practice. In 30 papers in the BMJ and three books he contributed to many developments, including targets for vaccination as a means of raising the standard of preventive care provided to more deprived communities. He was on the editorial board of the BMJ and Oxford University Press. In 1989 he was appointed MBE for services to medicine. On retirement in 1994, he and Jean moved to Darlington where he pursued his life-long enthusiasms for gardening, (exhibiting Old Roses), the theatre, travelling, learnt Italian and published a collection of poetry and memoirs. Geoffrey leaves his wife, Jean, two daughters, a son and six grandchildren.

By Chris Marsh and David White (65-74)

MARIE ADAIR (STAFF 15-21) DIED 15 MARCH 2021, AGED 61

PETER ANGUS ALLAN (49-60) DIED 9 JULY 2021, AGED 79

DG BULLEN (38-48) DIED 27 JULY 2021, AGED 90

LG BURNEY (50-57) DIED 22 APRIL 2021, AGED 82

ALAN DODD (49-54) DIED 8 APRIL 2021, AGED 81

JAMES HOWIE (44-48) DIED 4 JANUARY 2021, AGED 88

DR WO ORD (46-53) DIED 30 APRIL 2021, AGED 86 FY RYLE (32-35) DIED 23 JULY 2021, AGED 101

FE SMITH (41-46) DIED 8 MARCH 2021, AGED 91

CLIVE SMITHERS (73-80) DIED 15 JULY 2021, AGED 59

GRAEME TWADDLE (66-76) DIED 22 JULY 2021, AGED 63

TF WALTON (52-59) DIED 22 JULY 2021, AGED 78

DEREK WILLIAMS (39-48) DIED 2 AUGUST 2021 AGED 92

Obituaries for IAN JAMIESON (45-54), PETER ANGUS ALLAN (49-60) and DEREK WILLIAMS (39-48) will appear in the next issue

PAUL FRANCIS McCOMBIE

(70-77)

DIED 24 DECEMBER 2020, AGED 61

Paul died very suddenly while he

was out running. He was brought up in Whitley Bay and Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne. After leaving the RGS he joined the Royal Navy and was sent to Cambridge to study Engineering. He resigned from the Navy whilst at Fitzwilliam College and went on to read for a Masters in Geotechnical Engineering at Imperial College, London. He later worked for Brian Colquohoun and Partners and Netlon Ltd (now Tensar International) before being awarded a Lectureship at the University of Bath in 1989. He remained at Bath until his retirement in 2019, and was always an enthusiastic advocate of the joint teaching of architecture and engineering.

He is fondly remembered by generations of students. After retirement he continued to develop geotechnical engineering software for Tensar, and this is used all over the world. He was a keen bellringer and photographer, and leaves a wife, Heather, and four grown up children.

By Heather McCombie

REX GASKIN TATE (40-47)

BORN 7 AUGUST 1931, DIED 31 MARCH 2020, AGED 88

Rex was born in Low Fell,

Gateshead. The family moved from Low Fell to the leafy suburb of Jesmond Park West. At the outbreak of World War II, Rex was evacuated with his RGS contemporaries to Penrith. Time here at Hazelbank, surrounded by beautiful countryside with glorious flora and fauna, helped to reinforce Rex’s love of nature and the great outdoors.

On leaving school Rex went to study at Durham University where he gained an Honours degree in Agriculture. During holidays he worked on local farms, Dipton Mill, Hexham, being one of them. Rex’s age group was to be the last to register for National Service. Paperwork shows that Rex was to present himself in November 1953 at the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers’ Fenham Barracks. Rex was sent to army barracks in York and spent a year there before returning to Newcastle. His first posting as an agricultural advisor with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food began in November 1955 in Taunton, and the county of Somerset was to be home for the next ten years. The next move through Rex’s work took the family to Warkworth, Northumberland, a final move took the family to Rosemount, Blairowrie. He accepted an opportunity to work as a senior advisor for the East of Scotland College of Agriculture, covering Fife, Perth, Kinross and Angus. Rex passed away on 31 March 2020 aged 88.

By Julie Hamilton

Returning from being evacuated during the war. Rex Tate is first boy on left holding his pet jackdaw, which he took with him to Penrith.

DR MATTHEW JAMES LEACH

(76-83)

DIED 10 MAY 2021, AGED 56

After leaving RGS, Matthew

studied Chemistry at Lincoln College, Oxford, which is where he met his wife, Alison, who was reading English. They married in 1987 and returned to the North East where Matthew completed a PhD at Durham University.

In 1990 he joined Unilever, at Port Sunlight on the Wirral, as a Research Scientist. His love of music found expression through the Chester Bach Singers, where he became a mainstay of the tenor section for more than 25 years.

From 1998 to 2001, Matthew was seconded to Unilever Italia, and the family (now with three small children) relocated to Milan. He embraced the Italian experience with characteristic energy and positivity, enthusiastically developing his language skills at every opportunity.

In 2008 he left the corporate world to start a second career in education, and he quickly progressed from science teacher to head of department, and then assistant head. His warmth, intelligence, sense of humour and commitment were valued by colleagues and pupils alike, and he was an inspiration to many students.

In December 2019 Matthew was diagnosed with an aggressive type of brain tumour which forced him to give up the job he loved. He underwent surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but then the cancer began to spread again earlier this year, and further treatment proved ineffective. He passed away peacefully at home on 10 May with his family at his side.

By Alison Leach

After two years away, events are BACK and we cannot wait to see our community of Old Novos reunite in person! To reserve your place at any of these special events, please visit www.rgs.newcastle.sch.uk/rgs-family or email development@rgs.newcastle.sch.uk.

THE ONA 95TH NEWCASTLE DINNER

Friday 15 October 2021 6.15pm-11pm

Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne

The guest speaker for the evening is Alastair Leithead (80-90), award winning journalist, former BBC foreign correspondent and virtual reality film maker.

Tickets £49.50 (£39.50 for ONs aged 25 or under).

Kindly sponsored by UBS Wealth Management.

RGS SENIOR SCHOOL CAROL SERVICE

Monday 13 December 2021

6pm-7pm followed by mince pies and mulled wine in the Church Hall, St George’s, Jesmond

THE ONA 2022 LONDON DINNER

Thursday 17 March 2022 6.30pm-11pm

The Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall, London

The guest speaker for the evening is Leo Pearlman (87-97), award winning International film producer and co-founder of Fulwell 73.

Tickets £95 (£75 for ONs aged 25 or under).

JOHN ELDERS MEMORIAL MATCH

Monday 27 December 2021

Kick-off 2pm, bar open from 12pm-11pm Novos RFC v ONA, Sutherland Park

Please note that all events are subject to the latest Government guidance. Full refunds are available if any event cannot proceed due to restrictions.

ONA SHOP

We have a range of wonderful RGS merchandise on our website, please visit www.rgs.newcastle.sch.uk/rgsfamily/merchandise to order. Below are the new items, recently added to our range:

Mug Full of History

A quirky and beautiful china mug featuring the words dear to Old Novocastrians. Handmade in England, from the Susan Rose pottery in Northamptonshire.

RGS Logo Silk Tie

A new design 100% pure silk, slip stitched and fully lined tie in school colours and featuring the RGS logo.

RGS Teddy Bear Collection only

PERSONAL DETAILS AND DATA PROTECTION

The school has a very special relationship with its former students.

In order to keep in touch we would like your contact details and consent. Please do complete your details at www.rgs.newcastle.sch.uk/rgs-family/on. Alternatively to unsubscribe or change your preferences please contact us at

development@rgs.newcastle.sch.uk

or on 0191 212 8909. £20 £20