DEATHS AND OBITUARIES
We regret to announce the passing of the following OPs and we extend our sympathy to their families and friends :
DEATHS AND OBITUARIES
OBITUARIES
Michael Anthony Baitson ( 49-55 ) of Hessle , 26 June 2021 , aged 83 .
Roger Bellingham ( Former Clerk to the Governors , 75-88 ) of Pocklington , 6 January 2021 , aged 88 .
Darrell George Buttery MBE DL ( Former Staff 01-06 , Former Governor 06-20 , Life Patron ) of York , 27 July 2022 , aged 81 .
Marjorie Isobel ( Liz ) Cottom ( Former Staff , c . 60-93 ) of Pocklington , 19 July 2022 , aged 90 .
Graham White Dixon ( 46-50 ) of Wolverhampton , 7 August 2021 , aged 88 .
Michael Ralph Dunning ( 48-51 ) of Mill House , Walkington , Beverley , 30 June 2022 , aged 86 .
George Robert Foxcroft ( 53-63 ) of Edmonton , Canada , 6 December 2021 , aged 76 .
Hélène Gray ( Knights , Former Staff , 88-07 ) of Edinburgh , Wednesday 16 February 2022 , aged 60 .
James Weedy Hall ( 42-49 ) of Fareham , 8 March 2022 , aged 90 .
Matthew Jones ( 86-94 ) of Willerby , Hull , 31 October 2021 , aged 45 .
Michael John William Lumley ( 48-54 ) of Wells , Somerset , 18 August 2022 , aged 84 .
John Major ( 64-71 ) of York , 29 March 2022 , aged 69 .
Matthew Pimm ( 97-04 ) of Pocklington , 2 January 2022 , aged 35 .
John Robert Prest ( 86-91 ) of Ryton , Malton , 16 December 2020 , aged 48 .
Peter Scott ( née Towse , 41-47 ) of Malvern , Worcestershire , 1 June 2022 , aged 92 .
Ian Sheppard ( Former Staff , 88-10 ) of Allerthorpe , Pocklington , 17 September 2022 , aged 69 .
Brian Slater ( 49-57 ) of North Ferriby , Hull , 25 April 2022 , aged 83 .
Richard Fenwick Smith ( 61-66 ) of Henley-on- Thames , 4 February 2021 , aged 72 .
David Stather ( 49-57 ) of Wilberfoss , York , 30 March 2022 , aged 82 .
James Alexander West ( 49-55 ) of Swanland , Hull , 16 July 2022 , aged 84 .
Michael Anthony Baitson ( 49-55 ) attended Pocklington School from 1949 to 1955 taking part in many activities including Scouts , History Society and Young Farmers Club .
His claim to fame was winning The Desmond Boult Cup for senior swimming . In 1955 , as a Queen ’ s Scout , he represented the School at the World Jamboree in Canada , carrying on his involvement with the scouting movement into his adult life .
After leaving School , he worked in the family market garden in South Cave , rearing pigs and growing vegetables and flowers . Joining Newport Young Farmers , he became an active member taking part in rallies and public speaking . He became County Entertainment Chairman , bringing big name bands into the area . He met his wife , Nancy , at Young Farmers and they married in 1962 .
He joined the family auction business and became an auctioneer , bailiff , and High Court enforcement officer . He conducted numerous auctions over the years giving freely of his time and advice both to the public and numerous charities in the area .
He was still conducting live auctions until the start of the Covid pandemic . The obituary in the Yorkshire Post claimed he was the oldest working auctioneer ( at the age of 81 ) in the country and no one disputed this .
Sadly , Michael died in June 2021 , after an almost two-year battle with pancreatic cancer . He leaves a widow , a daughter , and a son , who is carrying the business forward . His eldest daughter predeceased him in 2009 . She was also a very active part of the business as an auctioneer , bailiff and High Court enforcement officer .
Michael led a very busy and active life following Hull City Football team , growing fruit and vegetables , building his own swimming pool in the back garden , and enjoying good food and a glass of red with his family and friends .
( Nancy Baitson )
Roger Bellingham ( Former Clerk to the Governors , 75-88 ) arrived in Pocklington in 1961 . He was born 29 years earlier near Rotherham where his father was solicitor to the town council . As was true of so many of his generation , his education had been disrupted by the war . By the age of 13 , he had lived in 11 different houses – and attended as many schools .
He finished his schooling at Bootham School in York and went on to do a Law degree at University College , London . He stayed in London to do his Articles followed by a year working for Solihull Council , and three years with Mackintosh in Norwich before moving to Pocklington to become a partner in Powell and Young solicitors ( now part of Harrowells ).
As a bright young thing , Roger launched into Pocklington life . Following the death of Major Stewart , he was actively involved in setting up the trust that still runs Burnby Hall Gardens today . He was a driving force behind the building of the Francis Scaife swimming pool . He was a member of the Round Table and the Rotary Club . He was the local registrar of Births , Marriages and Deaths . He was the secretary of Pocklington ’ s Fairweather Trust for 23 years . And there were other roles both in Pocklington and beyond that he undertook .
At that time , the post of Clerk to the Governors of Pocklington School was held by Laurence Sands , the senior partner of Powell and Young and son of former Headmaster Percy Sands . Roger took over the role in 1975 and held it until 1988 as he was heading for retirement . Although the ethos of the School was in many areas different from Roger ’ s Quaker upbringing , he was always very supportive of the School and felt a close association with it , which continued after his retirement .
Following his retirement from Powell and Young , Roger turned his attention to his love of history . He had been interested in the history of Pocklington from the time he arrived in the town and had been actively involved with the East Yorkshire Local History Society . When in the 1960s large parts of Chapmangate were to be demolished and flats built in its place , Roger knew that something was being lost and
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