All OCs who knew John (none will have forgotten him) will be sad to know that he died on August 24. A brilliant geography teacher, John seemed to run on permanent adrenaline, a charismatic character admired by all. The tributes on Facebook from friends of his son Martyn tell the story you’d expect: learning spiced with his wonderful recipe of humour and story-telling, and underlying it all the crucial comment recurs. John cared.
Of some it is said ‘His door is always open’. Of John it was also ‘His window is always open’! Many recount how he leapt mid-sentence out of his classroom to be the first driver to the fire station when his personal alarm sounded. I recall headmasters being silenced in Common Room meetings for the same reason!
As another OC wrote to me: “May he continue to drive fire engines wherever he is.”
Our sympathies go to his wife Margaret and his children. Their memories, like ours, will be lively ones.