1646 – Issue 4

2 7 We are very sorry to report the death of former members of Staff Rex Barham (1967) died following a short illness, on 22 May 2022 aged 89 years. Rex Barham... ”a debt of gratitude” “I was a boarder and just rolling along into my fifth year in the Christmas term of 1964, not really looking forward to the dreaded O-level examinations, but not too distressed about the prospect of leaving school, although I would seriously miss the most important things in my school life, rugby and football. However, it was during the term that I was fortunate to observe a teacher in his black gown peering into a very large wooden cabinet at the entrance to a classroom in the lower part of the Dunster Block. On saying “excuse me sir”, I asked him what he was looking at. The teacher replied “rocks, minerals and fossils, I teach Geology”. The teacher’s name was Rex Barham, and after a brief discussion on the possibility of being allowed to attend his class, he raised the issue of the subject not being taught to pupils in the A stream as Latin was taught instead. Mr Barham said he would discuss the matter with the headmaster Mr Inge, a week later I am in the Geology class! I immediately found a subject that was immensely interesting and taught by an enthusiastic teacher, who even organised field trips to the nearby Chalk quarry on the Henley Road to explore for echinoids, a rare treat, especially for an “imprisoned” boarder. I owe Rex Barham a huge debt of gratitude for providing me with an academic purpose, and for the ability to take Geology at A level, and the support to gain separate stints at University to obtain a BSc in Geology, and a MSc in Petroleum Geoscience at Imperial College. “Teachers can change lives”, and Rex certainly changed mine. Very sadly Rex passed away in May of 2022, and I am privileged to say that he was fully aware of the debt I owed him”. (Stuart Marsh, 1967) We are sad to report the death of Mrs Joan Pierce , wife of the former Bursar (Group Captain Colin Pierce who was Bursar between 1983 and 1997) who passed away on 21 May 2023. Mrs Pierce actively supported various School events including many drama productions long after her retirement. Geraldine Montgomery, the much-loved and respected Blue Coat nurse for over 20 years, died unexpectedly in November 2022. At a memorial service held at the School, Headmaster Pete Thomas commented; “Geraldine knew her professional role required her to be forthright at times, but she also knew how to adapt to different situations and seemed to instinctively know what handling was needed for each student when they went to her with an ailment. Her knowledge of the students was superb, as was her communication with pastoral staff. As one staff member wrote, “I loved working with Geraldine. She always had the wellbeing of the students in the School at heart and would bend over backwards to support them. I knew that if I needed to call on Geraldine to assist with the pastoral support of a student, she would do everything within her power to help and would do so with kindness, sensitivity and without fuss.” Parents felt the same way. One wrote how struck they were that, despite being inundated with other things, “Geraldine always gave of her time, helping their son to settle when he came back from a serious injury and giving them the time they needed to feel relaxed about his return to school.” One of my abiding memories of Geraldine comes from early on in the Autumn Term of 2015. I’d just started as Second Master and life was at a hundred miles an hour. I was feeling shattered. I had a 15 minute window without anything specific to fill it, so popped to Medical and asked Geraldine what I thought might have been a fairly common question....did she have a spare bed I could use for a power nap, please? I’m not sure how she might have responded years later when she knew me better, but it was her matronly face that Geraldine presented me with at that moment. I was quite desperate though, and she could see that, so she softened and I got a much-needed snooze – but only once. I never asked again! Geraldine didn’t just love the pupils, of course. She loved her colleagues too. Many were very close friends of hers, being helped through difficult times and walking alongside Geraldine when things were hard for her. She knew when we were struggling and when we needed some time to chat. I know I am not the only one who recognised that Geraldine was a great listener, but she was happy to share her thoughts too; it was always a conversation. She was fun, loved to laugh and to see the humour in many situations – she’d certainly have had enough material to put together a best-selling ‘It shouldn’t happen to a school nurse’ publication! Geraldine, greatly missed, was much loved by all because she gave so much of herself in the service of others; a very special epitaph. A big hole is left, but a wonderful example to emulate.” (Headmaster, Pete Thomas) Sports Day at Palmer Park, Stuart Marsh receiving a prize from Rex Barham who was Master of Ceremonies