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Page of Remembrance This page is dedicated to memory of those who are no longer with us
Antony Roy William BUTLER - died January 1983
Tony Butler was born
in Rugby on June 20th
1945. He was amongst the first batch of children to enter Needwood
in February 1954. After leaving school in July 1961 Tony took an
apprenticeship in plastering which was to be his professional career
throughout his life. He moved with his wife Carol and two children
to Kingsthorpe, Northamptonshire. He took flying lessons, loved
his aeroplanes and also liked Jaguar cars
owning type S, mark 2 and Daimler XJS. He died after a short
illness in January 1983. Tony was popular with all those he came
into contact with. He went to Kingdom Hall in Kingsthorpe.
Mary Ann GARDNER - died 1956 Mary lived in London. She was admitted to the Royal School for Deaf Children in Birmingham in 1949 and transferred to Needwood when it opened in 1954. She remained there until her illness kept her at home. She died at the of 16. Mary was an athletic and cheerful girl and much missed by her friends and the staff at Needwood.
Peter CHADWICK - died 6 July 1986 phoenix #1 Peter, a master carpenter, was born in Worcester in 1944. He went to Needwood in 1954, after leaving in 1960 he went into carpentry and built up a reputation as a master craftsman. Peter was a partner in a carpentry business in Stourbridge, his business partner said "Peter is irreplaceable, a unique character who makes friends with everyone he meets".
Norman CHILDS - died 1998 Many people will remember Norman who drove the school bus. He and his wife Peggy who became Deputy Matron went to Needwood in 1954 and remained there for ten years. Norman came from a Staffordshire farming family and knew the county very well. Since 1964 they have lived in Northumberland and in Broadstairs and Margate in Kent. Peggy has now returned to live in Staffordshire.
Victor John GRIMSLEY - died August 2006
Mieczyslaw JEDRAS (Michael) - died 4 June 2006 Michael was a pupil at Needwood from 1959 to 1969. He was a popular and active member of the Needwood School Old Scholars Association. He died in a diving accident after getting into difficulties while exploring a World War One vessel off the coast of Hornsea, in Humberside. .
Margaret KITCHING - died 8 November 2001 Margaret taught infants at a school in Bolton, Lancs. then at the Royal Caledonian School in Hertfordshire. That was followed by some time at the Brighton School for the Deaf where she received the Diploma of the National College of Teachers of the Deaf. From there she spent four years at the Royal School for Deaf Children in Birmingham. She went to Needwood when it opened in 1954. In 1961 she became a Peripatetic Teacher of the Deaf in Hampshire until her retirement in 1961.
Edward LAWSON - died 21 April 1990 phoenix #3 & phoenix #4 Eddie was
a Scout Leader and Senior Resident Master at Needwood, very popular with the children and members of staff alike. His jolly character
was infectious which won him many lifetime friends throughout the world, not just Needwood, but especially in wartime Greece and the jungles of Indo-China
where he was known as 'Spider'. In spite of ill
health and disabling pains he had to endure, he never lost his unique sense of humour
and fun. An article written by Eddie Lawson just a few weeks
before his death about his SOE experiences during World War II and a moving
tribute by Mr E Brown, headmaster at Needwood from 1965 to 1976, can be found in
'The Phoenix' issues three and four. Eddie LEESE - died 30 June 1975 Eddie was born in Staffordshire and taught in Cheadle before joining the staff of the Royal School for Deaf Children in Birmingham where he met his wife Eiva who taught Domestic Science. Eddie obtained a certificate to teach deaf children at Manchester University in 1947 before returning to the Birmingham school. From there he went to Needwood where he remained until his sudden, untimely death at the age of 49. He was a much liked member od staff, both energetic and cheerful.
Terry O'KEEFE - died 12 July 2000
Noreen OXLEY - died 24 July
1991
Peter Matthew SADLER Peter Matthew Sadler a keen photographer and gardener, died at the age of 55 after a short illness. He started work with Dudley Council as a carpenter after leaving Needwood in 1963 and went on to become the shop floor's successful Union Representative. Since 1983 he was Dudley Council's Project Clerk of Works. Peter liked to listening to music on his stereo he wired up in the summerhouse with a fridge for refreshments on hot summer days. His wife, Katrina, also deaf was a student at Braidwood School in Birmingham.
Patrick SIMPSON Pat joined the staff at Needwood in 1956 and left to teach first in Hertfordshire and later in Berkshire. During the wad he was stationed in Sri Lanka. He taught in South Africa for a time.
L.H. THOMAS - died 30 April 2006 Lloyd Thomas was born in Oldham, Lancs. into a Welsh speaking family from North Wales. His first teaching appointment was in 1933 in Southend-on-Sea. He married Gladys there in 1937. In 1946 Lloyd went to the Royal School for Deaf Children in Birmingham where in 1849 he obtained the National College of Teachers of the Deaf certificate to teach deaf children. From there he went to Llandrindod Wells, the Welsh school for deaf children. He was later appointed Deputy Head Master at Needwood where he remained until 1960 when the family moved to Cornwall. He was in charge of deaf children in that county. He retired at the age of 61. Lloyd was a member of the Society of Friends, a Quaker for most of his life. The Friends Funeral meeting for Lloyd was on 10 May 2006.
Terry PALMER - died 25 July 1986 phoenix #1 Terry was Needwood's last headmaster before it closed in 1985. He came to Needwood in September 1978 as deputy headmaster and became headmaster in September 1979 after previously working with the peripatetic service in Kent. After the closure he became head of Peripatetic Services for the Hearing and Visually Impaired with the Staffordshire County Council's Education department. Terry played an active role in Burton Lions, organised and took part in many fund raising events. At the funeral, colleagues, ex-pupils and staff from Needwood School together with people from Rangemore village, friends and family, over 200 people altogether attended the service at the Parish Church in Barton-Under-Needwood.
Arthur PREECE - died 5 October 1992 phoenix #6 Arthur and his wife, Linda, have been actively involved with Needwood Old Scholars Association since its creation in 1986. Always bringing a happy smile and cracking cheerful jokes to brightens up the Association's meetings and reunions. He took an interest in most things and was very good with cars and home maintenance. After losing his job, he took an advanced course in engineering, fought hard and secured employment, soon becoming foreman at an Engineering Firm. Popular at work and in his neighbourhood, all who knew him will agree, he was a credit to Needwood and a credit to his family and friends.
Howard Griffith WILLIAMS - died 19 October 1995 Howard was born and lived in Ryde, Sydney, New South Wales in 1929 before moving to Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales in 1931. He attended London University where he obtained a degree. Later when at Reading University he visited Russia and wrote many articles about the education of the deaf in that country. He went to Needwood as a teacher in 1954 and married Elizabeth who was a housemother in the boys' wing. The wedding was at Rangemore Church (Frank Priddle was Howard's Best Man). For a time Howard taught at Mary Hare Grammer School near Newbury and then went to Ingfield Manor, a schhol owned by the Spastic Society. In 1964 he became one of Her Majesty's Inspector of Schools. In 1974 the family moved to Weston-Super-Mare.
Andrew Charles SZILVA - died 17 September, 1983 Andrew was a pupil at Needwood School from 1969 till 1977. He died in a terrible accident after being hit by a train at the age of 21. He was known as a mischievous boy during his years at Needwood. He loved woodwork and hockey.
I wish to thank Frank and Pat Priddle for their valuable help in compiling this page |