OBITUARIES
Michael is survived by his parents , John and Hilary , his brother Neil , and his wife Claire and their three children George ( 13 ), Gracie ( 12 ) and Barnaby ( 9 ).
( Alex Drinkall )
Robin Charles Hall ( 53-61 ) was born in Goole in 1943 and raised in Filey on the North Yorkshire coast . He applied for and received a scholarship to Pocklington school where he thrived , excelling in all subjects , nurturing his lifelong passion for music , and avoiding rugby at all costs . He never forgot Pocklington and was a frequent visitor and contributor to the school having remained friends with teachers and classmates alike .
He tried to read Music at Cambridge but was thwarted and instead read Pure Maths , eventually switching to Social Anthropology which gave him more time to socialise and play music , but condemned him to a life in HR . His musical ear and quick wit made it an easy pleasure to pick up languages , starting with French which he learned during his year in VSO in Western Africa . His career started with Ford in London and ended with PWC in Moscow , working for W . S . Atkins , Consolidated Goldfields , Manpower SVCS living and working in the UK , Europe , Canada , Mexico , Russia and throughout Africa .
Robin was a highly respected and competent professional but did not live to work , he worked so he could afford to play and listen to music , and never play rugby again !
As a scholar to Pocklington , he made the most of every opportunity presented to him and it gave him the foundations for a rich and fulfilling life for which he was always grateful .
He passed on the 7 January 2023 and is survived by his wife and two sons .
( Keir Hall )
Michael Hargreaves ( 44-47 ) died on 1 June 2023 , just 27 hours before his 93rd birthday . He and his twin brother , David , attended Pocklington School from 1944-1947 .
During their time at the school , the twins soon began to forge their own friends and interests but they used to ascend Chapel Hill together with the model gliders they had built and launch them with the intent of reaching the bottom in a single flight . David recently , and magnanimously , tipped his hat to Mike ’ s superiority of flight here . Mike and his elder brother , Tom , continued to build free-flight model aircraft for many years , often competing in events at Elvington , Driffield , and Barkston .
Chapel Hill also provided other interests for Mike as it was a regular weekend haunt for the Subtle and Seasoned Society of Smokers , of which Mike was a member . Perhaps not regarded as the best Society for a chap with asthma , it did sow the seeds for one of Mike ’ s life-long passions – that of classical music , as the Society was led by non-other than Eric Roseberry ( 41-48 ) who later became a renowned musician and musical authority .
A year after leaving school , Mike did National Service in the RAF , not surprising considering his interest in aircraft . During this period , he spent almost a year in Southern Rhodesia . This experience had an immediate and life-long impact upon him which he called ‘ magic ’. His bill for staying at the Victorian Falls Hotel in 1950 ( special RAF rate , full board , 16 shillings and sixpence per night ) is amongst his treasured possessions .
On completion of this he began the Optics course at what is now UMIST . His years there produced some up and down results and he transferred to what is now City University , London for his final year . This proved to be the right decision as his studies thrived and he graduated with one of the best results in the country and was subsequently awarded one of ten special prizes for the British
Optical Association examinations in 1955 , which were given in celebration of 50 years of the BOA .
He began work in 1955 at Hudson Verity in Leeds , which was one of the largest multiple opticians . The company transferred him to a practice in Wakefield and then promoted him as Manager of a practice in Newcastle in 1959 , where the family lived until early 1963 . Mike realised by this time that he wanted to be the master of his own destiny and so bought a very rundown practice in Saltaire . His reputation soon spread , and he went on to more than double the number of sight tests each week . He then spent 31 happy years running his own practice . During this time , he was a very active member of the Yorkshire Optical Society , becoming President in both 1977 / 78 and 1989 / 90 and becoming Chairman of the Association of Optometrists in 1992 / 3 .
On moving to live in Guiseley in 1980 , Mike regenerated an interest in growing and showing sweet peas , an interest which first emerged in boyhood . This resulted in a very full involvement with the National Sweet Pea Society , travelling to different parts of the country to compete in shows . He was Show Manager several times , including events held at the Driffield Show . Even when the Society wasn ’ t holding an event there , he took great pleasure in exhibiting in the Driffield Show ’ s Horticulture Section .
Mike also spent 35 happy years playing golf , only resigning when he was 90 as “ age and lack of ability ” had caught up with him . He enjoyed such wonderful health for all but his final few months and had enjoyed his retirement years fully .
( Pat Hargreaves )
Ann Hirst ( Former Staff 89-08 ) passed away peacefully in January 2023 after a short illness , aged 76 . Born in October 1946 , Ann grew up in Edinburgh with her parents Jimmy and Mary . She had one older brother , John , and they had a happy
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