team members always reckoned that with his ready gift for talking up ‘his team’ Gerald was often the means of taking a wicket or two on its behalf. Gerald beyond the games field showed his acting talents. In 1953 he won praise for his performance in Bernard Shaw’s Passion, Poison and Petrifaction. In 1954 in the historic production by Charles Lepper of Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part 1 Gerald portrayal of Bardolph in the tavern scenes with Falstaff – superbly played by David Brazington, his close friend – was memorable. Shortly after leaving school in 1955 Gerald commenced his period of National Service with the R.A.F. He was to spend after his basic training the rest of his service at Innsworth. Here he continued to play rugby and also to do so with the OCRFC. Between 1954 and 1983 he made 217 appearances for the club and he was the Club Captain in the season 1968-69. In 1957 Gerald entered St Luke’s College, Exeter where he specialized in Primary Education. In 1959 he commenced his teaching career at Coney Hill Primary School. Then the mid 1960s after a short period in Ghana with the British Forces Education Authority he was appointed to the headship of Whiteshill Primary School, near Stroud. Gerald enjoyed further development in his career when he was appointed to be the Head teacher of the large Warden Hill Primary School in Cheltenham. Here he justly earned accolades for his effective leadership of a school with a high reputation. He much enjoyed the success of the Chess team that he coached and he was justly proud of his successful personal tuition of his aspirant applicants to the prestigious Pate’s Grammar School. After his retirement in 1995 Gerald enjoyed in particular in the company of his friends, Old Cryptian reunions, his golf, his sporting visits to Kingsholm, Lord’s and Cheltenham College. He enjoyed his chess and his membership of Probus. For a number of years he served on the Governing Board and Appeals Panel when his considerable knowledge of educational issues proved an asset to his old school. In addition Gerald continued to enjoy time spent in his holiday home in western France in the company of his family and friends. He showed here his prowess in the bottling of his beloved French claret and sampling an occasional glass or two. Throughout his life Gerald much enjoyed his travels on a world wide scale and his list of itineraries was most impressive. Gerald was a proud and loving family man. He is survived by his wife, Irene, his daughters Jane, Clare and Fiona and by his grand children and great children. Postscript We commenced our association in 1947 when we entered the School. Subsequently we became friends and teammates in the same Whitefield House and School 1st XV.. I was ever grateful that Gerald was in our team and not an opponent for he was a tough competitor. Our friendship was curtailed when late in his life Gerald became a victim of Alzheimers. For a period prior to his death he was nursed in Brockworth Court residential home. Old Cryptians
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