OBITUARIES
His role was not just confined to the classroom
however. He helped to instil into young cricketers
the basic skills that would serve them well at more
senior levels and assisted with rugby in the days of
the Leagues on the Big Field at Pocklington School.
Hutton Day boys will remember Grahame for the
Hutton Walks, which as Assistant Housemaster he
organised at the end of every holiday “to clear the
mind” as he put it, in preparation for the work ahead.
Along the way, Grahame would regale the pupils
with amusing anecdotes from his own amazing and
varied collection, more often than not, told at his
own expense. This was characteristic of Grahame:
life was to be lived with unfailing courtesy; it was to
be taken seriously and talents used to the full; but it
was equally important to enjoy it and to be able to
laugh at oneself.
Tim Stephenson (70-79), former pupil and now
Chair of Governors at Pocklington School adds:
“Grahame Sutton’s recent death will be a shock to
many, but also a reminder of this charming man’s
wonderful abilities as a teacher and loyalty as a
friend. Inspirational in the classroom at Pocklington
School for many years, Grahame (known as “Gas”
due to his initials) guided me and countless other
mathematicians of varying abilities through their
school careers, including a large number who went
on to Oxford and Cambridge. Always cheerful,
patient and ready to listen, and ever sympathetic,
Grahame’s contribution to the Pocklington School
community and to his thousands of pupils was
immense, and not only in the classroom. He
engendered complete trust as a schoolmaster and
friend and, with a twinkle in his eye, skipped as joyfully
through differential calculus and group theory as he
did through times tables – perhaps more so.”
At fullback he rarely ever missed a tackle. He also
had First XI colours for cricket.
He left school for the Army where he was
commissioned into the York and Lancaster Regiment
and went to Cyprus. On the disbanding of the
regiment he transferred to the Royal Ordnance
Corp where he underwent training to become an
ATO – Ammunition Technician Officer, dealing with
explosives, ammunition and IEDs – Improvised
Explosive Devices. Postings to Germany followed
at Bracht and Rheindahlen which were interrupted
by a posting to Londonderry, Northern Ireland early
in 1974 where IEDs were defused by hand prior
to the introduction of tracked wheelbarrows and
related technology for Bomb Disposal. After this
time, his unit won The Army Cup for Rugby and
he was selected to play for the Army on numerous
occasions. After playing at Twickenham for the Army,
and after kicking goals and scoring tries, his wife who
was watching, asked him if he had had a good match!
A posting to Aldershot reunited Des and Paul where
they both played for Aldershot Services RFUC. A
posting to Bicester led to him playing games for
Northampton. He also played cricket for the Corp.
Many more tributes and memories were sent in by
OPs and these were collated and shared with the
family.
Desmond (Des) Townsend (60-65) and twin
brother Paul (60-65) were born in Tunbridge Wells,
Kent on 28 November 1946. Both went to the Judd
School, Tonbridge until the family moved to Beverley
in 1960. Pocklington was chosen by their father after a
place at Beverley Boys Grammar School was refused
as they did not play rugby. Sport was an important
part of Des’s time at Pock as academic studies did
not figure high on his priorities. He was appointed
Head of Day Boys and was Captain of Rugby in his
last year after the previous year’s successful season
when no school matches were lost for the first time.
All who knew Des have stories to tell about
him. About his generosity, his love of life and his
friendship and his optimism; his reticence and tact
with people he didn’t have much time for and his
irascible comments when life and things irritated
him, especially politicians. We will all miss Des but
he will remain alive through the stories we tell of
him and the laughter he generates but, I will miss him
as he was half of me and I was half of him.
(Paul Townsend, 60-65)
John Edward Wise (49-54) died peacefully at
home on 1 June 2017 after a happy day at the races.
A Market Weighton boy, he came to Pocklington as
a day boy. His contemporaries will remember his
cheeky smile and his early treble singing in school
competitions.
On leaving school he pursued a career in agricultural
equipment sales. This was interrupted by National
Service in the RAF, but he later progressed to be a
Sales Director at RMB Agricultural Division. He was
a successful salesman, popular with local farmers, at
one time sporting fashionable long blonde hair, not
the usual countryman’s cut.
Peter Edwards, former Head of Art recalls:
“When I arrived at Pocklington in 1980, I stepped
into a world of Oxbridge teachers in gowns and
high-pitched voices. I grew to find them intriguing
as if they were from another era. Grahame was one
of these characters who was eccentric in a quirky,
intellectual way. I was making one of my summer
staff films based on James Bond and I wanted staff
members to pose as spies with a gun. Grahame was
walking past and I asked him to co-operate. Being
very polite as he always was, he asked ‘What would
you like me to do?’ I replied ‘Just pose with this gun
because I want you to be a spy in the film.’ He replied
‘A spy? Can I tell you Peter, I used to be a spy in
Berlin.’ I was gobsmacked! Happy memories.”
It was at this time that he had his open heart surgery
for a Mitral valve replacement which was followed
by a repeat of the same operation after the first
metal valve became unseated. After retirement he
moved back to Beverley and lived there for the next
fourteen years. He continued with golf and was a
member of the Beverley Golf Club. Ove r the past
five years his health became progressively worse and
Sue, his wife of 47 years, was a constant support.
This did not stop him from visiting his son Jamie (85-
90) and his two granddaughters in Australia, and his
daughter Laura and four grandsons in the Bahamas,
where he became a sea fishing enthusiast and quite
an expert at fishing for tuna which he continued to
do until two months before he died on 6 March
2017.
On his return to the UK in 1980 he went to UMIST.
Following a Management Sciences course he
became a Member of the Institute of Management.
He returned to Germany as Officer Commanding
42 Ord. Comp. and then worked as Logistic Officer
at Rheindahlan. He was promoted to Lt. Col. because
of his previous experience. This led in turn to being
promoted to Commanding Officer of the Army
School of Ammunition which is responsible for the
training of Army personnel and others in Bomb
Disposal work. He appeared in the documentary The
Visit – Bomb Disposal Man by Desmond Wilcox
for the BBC about the training and work of ATOs
and their work in Northern Ireland in1991. He was
responsible for the commissioning of a statue of an
ATO in his protective suit to commemorate those
ATOs who were killed on active service
His final postings were at the Ministry of Defence
and on retirement he was appointed Secretary to
the NATO Explosives, Storage and Transport Safety
Alliance which entailed acting as liaison with other
NATO countries. He was also a consultant for the
UK Ports Authority on the storage and transport
of dangerous goods. He became a member of the
Army Golf Club in Aldershot and approached golf
with his usual gusto towards sport.
He had long been settled in Beverley, and was a
regular follower of racing at the Westwood course.
In later years, he dabbled in antiques including a stall
on Beverley market.
He leaves his wife Val, with whom he shared a long
and happy life and their two daughters, Katy and
Jacqui.
(Norman Wood, 49-57)
TRIBUTES?
Please send death notices
& obituaries to Rachel
in the OP office
[email protected]
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