DENNIS CHISMAN 1927-2008

DENNIS CHISMAN 1927-2008

Taught at Sheen: 1949-1957

also see separate entry under News

Dennis Chisman’s whole career was devoted to the promotion of science education.  He graduated from King’s College London in 1948 and obtained a Postgraduate Certificate in Education in 1949.

He joined the Richmond and EastSheenGrammar School in September 1949 as Head of the Science Department at the very early age of 21.  He taught at our school until 1957, when he left to join the Royal Institute of Chemistry (later to become the Royal Society of Chemistry) as its first Education Officer.  He also became Secretary of the British Committee on Chemical Education.

He joined the British Council in 1966 as a Science Education Officer and later that year was seconded to the Centre for Curriculum Renewal and Educational Development Overseas  as Assistant Director of Science Education.  In 1974 he returned to the Council and became Head of Science and Mathematics Education Unit.  In October 1975 he was appointed Director of Schools and Education Department, and served in that post until 1981 when he took early retirement. After this he became an independent consultant in science education and continued to be involved in science education projects overseas, particularly in developing countries, until his last year.

As well as overseas development work under the auspices of UNESCO, he was a key member of the International Council of Associations of Science Education and also of the Commonwealth Association of Science Technology and Mathematics Education (CASTME).  He served on the Council of the latter for 30 years from 1974, and was its Secretary.

He remained an active member of the Royal Society of Chemistry at both national and local levels.  By now living in West Sussex, he served as an active chairman of his local section, which covers much of the southern counties.  This was from 2005 until 2007 when he was approaching 80.  He joked that he was being “recycled”.  At one of the annual dinners, he spoke fondly of his time as a schoolteacher.

Academically gifted, he was also  a very good teacher at all levels  and helped a number of boys to obtain university scholarships  and state scholarships. Looking back it is difficult to believe that he was still barely 30 when he left the school.  Certainly, those he taught at Sheen and who found careers based on Chemistry realise just how lucky they were to have had him even for a short time at the school.

JEFF RISK August, 2010

JEFF RISK August, 2010

Announcement on Daily Telegraph  website 29th August, 2010

Jeffrey Richard of Newdigate, Surrey, died peacefully on 26th August 2010, aged 63. Dearly beloved husband of Vivien and greatly loved father of Lizzy and Melanie. Private Cremation followed by a Memorial Service at St Peter's Church, Newdigate on Friday 3rd September at 12.30 p.m. Everyone welcome. No flowers please, but donations, if wished, for St Catherine's Hospice may be sent to Sherlock Funeral Service, Trellis House, Dorking, RH4 2ES.

JOHN WORTH (c 1939 intake) August, 2010

JOHN WORTH (c 1939 intake) August, 2010

John had a career mainly in engineering. He worked for Rolls Royce at Derby for many years and was a member of the team who designed the fan blades for their jet engines. He also made clocks in his spare time and enjoyed anything mechanical. For most of his life, he lived in theNewark-on-Trent area of Nottinghamshire and was married to Isabel, a successful and respected local primary school headteacher until her retirement several years ago.

Editor's Note:   John contributed a very interesting article to the BBC's WW2 archive in 1995.   It can be seen on the Intakes 1925-39 page.

BRIAN PAINTER July, 2010

BRIAN PAINTER July, 2010

Brian died of a brain tumour in July.  He went to Shene in the 1948 intake and was to become a Quaker.  For many years he worked as the warden at Quaker House near Euston Station.  In his later years he lived in France after the tumour had been diagnosed.   

PETER FLEWITT October, 2013

PETER FLEWITT October, 2013

Peter Flewitt died on Saturday,12 October, in Lismore Base Hospital New South Wales.

John Vaughan was informed of his death by his cousin Billie shortly after John  had been visiting Peter in Yamba where he had become ill, and admitted first, to nearby Maclean hospital, and then to Lismore.

Peter and John had kept in touch regularly in recent years and John had met him together with Don McIntyre in 2010 in Sydney.   Peter had become a 'grey nomad' travelling the length and breadth of Australia in his trailer where he had numerous cousins and family connections. He continued to keep in touch over the internet with many friends and former old boys on his cricketing and football interests (John and Peter shared an interest in Fulham), as well as adding his own sometimes caustic spin on the world. His e-mails to his Shene connections in the UK made it clear that he had a wicked sense of humour and his passing is a sad loss to the Shene fraternity.

 Peter had double hip dysplasia from birth. Unfortunately it wasn't picked up early enough to avoid 5 years in hospital in a cast. In those days the treatment was pretty rudimentary; he was lucky to be able to walk at all.  To add insult to injury he was involved in a major traffic smash later in life and he suffered a broken pelvis with right sided hip involvement. This happened prior to emigrating to Australia.Wear and tear and arthritis were a real curse for him.
His ashes have been scattered in Adelaide and Perth and a further scattering is planned at Kew Cricket Club in 2015.

Dr Paul Hudson (now in Melbourne, Australia)...............
For 7 years I was at Shene Grammar Schoo lwith Pete and the teenager who used to drink beer with me atRichmondpubs whilst playing snooker was very polite and quite introvert.  I introduced him to the Richmond YHA Club in 1963 and we were frequently at Craven Cottage to watch Fulham FC with others from Shene.   The social life and cycling weekends were a very happy time as evidenced by some of his later emails.
I lost touch with Pete after leaving school and going to University, only to find him again 42 years later in 2007 inAustraliawhere I had moved several years before him. The Pete I then found, had a rare and wonderful gift of biting humour - sarcastic, ironic, irreverent and so imaginative, honed no doubt by the intake of various alcoholic beverages. His emails were treasures to behold and often had me in fits of uncontrollable laughter. 
He had a tough early life in many respects and unfortunately the world was often not as he would have wished it, but probably this very curmudgeonly outlook was responsible for the rare humorous talent that he developed.    I miss him.   

An e-mail to David Richardson from Richard Jones in Wilson's Promontory,Gyppsland, Victoria, Australia:
Great shock to read of Pete’s recent death.  As the third of the 1958 ex-pat Aussies, my memories of Pete go back to his support for the OBs’ soccer club.  Whilst we played rugby at Barn Elms in front of crowds that could be counted on one hand and often not even that, Pete could always be relied on to be supporting the soccer club, rain, hail or shine.

Interesting reading Paul’s selection of Pete’s emails – he had a interesting sense of humour and some very accurate comments on life in Australia – and his last message reflected that.  For many years I read his comments on the Fulham Football Club supporters website – always provocative and, despite the distance between Australia and Craven Cottage, always intelligent, unlike much that appears on the site.  And he could spell which would have been a pleasure for the likes of Snowy White and our other English teachers.  He copped a lot of abuse from other contributors on the site for his views and left the site late last year,.  He would be sorry to read of the Club’s current position.
I never got to meet Pete in Australia – other side of the continent, but I’m sorry to hear he’s gone – one of the good guys. less

B. JOHN PERRY May 2013

B. JOHN PERRY May 2013

John Perry was a physicist and much involved in the early days of CT scanners.   A laboratory at St. George's Healthcare, London is named after him.

RAY ARGENT March, 2012

RAY ARGENT March, 2012

A note from Ray's daughter, Susan........'I am writing to inform you of the death of my father Raymond Argent. 

Ray passed away on 24th March, 2012 whilst on a break to the Isle of Wight;   the cause of death was acute and chronic heart failure.   Ray became ill one evening and passed away early the following morning.   Although Ray had suffered a few health problems in the year or so prior to this his very sudden death was a complete shock to all of us and was totally unexpected

My father always looked forward to the Shene Old Boys reunions and was always so full of news and stories from these events.   After a reunion he was always eager to look at the website to view the photographs and reporting of the event.'

TED BURTON September, 2012

TED BURTON September, 2012

Ted Burton was head of Emmbrook for 14 years
Former colleagues, family and friends remembered a much-loved and respected headteacher of a Wokingham secondary school.
Sports enthusiast Edward Burton, known as Ted, was headteacher of The Emmbrook School for 14 years until he retired in 1997.
Mr Burton, 72, died on Thursday, September 27, after a long illness. He leaves his wife Hilary, two children and five grandchildren.

Paying tribute during his funeral at St John’s Church, in Crowthorne, on Thursday, Mr Burton’s former deputy head at The Emmbrook, Graham Dyer, said: “Emmbrook School grew into a very successful comprehensive school under his leadership.
“There can be no doubt that Ted loved his work. His colleagues in neighbouring Berkshire schools respected him. I once heard Ted described as a ‘truly professional human being’.
“He took pride, not just in the school as a whole, but the people who worked there.

“Ted firmly believed every child had a talent and the role of the school was to nurture that talent.”

Mr Burton was born in Essex and met his wife while studying at Queen Mary College in London.

He began his teaching career as a history and PE teacher in south-west London before moving to St Bartholomew’s School in Newbury and then to The Emmbrook, in Emmbrook Road.
The Reverend Lawrence Stevens, a colleague of Mr Burton’s at St Bartholomew’s School, where he joined as second master in 1975, said: “He had a very significant role shaping the new school.
“As a deputy head he brought order and a much-needed meticulous approach.

“Ted was a fantastic history teacher with detailed knowledge of his subject and a particular interest in Ireland in the 1920s.”
He continued: “I was so very grateful for his help when I joined St Barts as school chaplain and head of RE.

“In many ways those who served with him at that time regard them as the golden years and we are grateful for them and Ted’s part in our lives.”

Mr Burton was struck down by a near-fatal illness in 1988, which remained undiagnosed for four months, and he was off school for a term and a half.

His condition developed into rheumatoid arthritis.

Paying tribute, Mr Burton’s son Andrew said: “Dad loved sport until his dying day. First doing it, and then increasingly watching it.
“Dad loved people. As a headmaster he spent a lot of time dealing with people from all walks of life.”

He added: “He has not left us completely. He lives on in our memories and our hearts.

“My son said ‘Grandad was never able to make it along to cricket practice, but this Sunday he will be there to watch.”

Reading a eulogy Reverend Lisa Cornwell said: “Ted will be remembered as a proud father, affectionate father-in-law, grandfather and as a friend to many.”

Ted Burton was head of Emmbrook for 14 years

JOHN COWARD, November, 2013

John Coward , who has died aged 88, was chief executive of the Notting Hill Housing Trust and a pioneer of shared ownership — a form of housing tenure in which a person buys a share in their home even if they cannot afford a mortgage on the whole value.
Coward joined the Trust in 1965, two years after its foundation by the Reverend Bruce Kenrick, a Presbyterian minister who would later found the homelessness charity Shelter.
The Notting Hill of the 1960s was not the location of second-hand bookshops, smart delicatessens, hip restaurants and seven- (or even eight-) figure house prices that it has become, but a mostly rundown corner of west London, notorious for race riots and the activities of the slum landlordPeterRachman.
Much of the area was populated by people — including many poor immigrants from the Caribbean — who were forced to live in crumbling, overcrowded accommodation. A survey in 1967 found that population density in the area was twice that of the borough of Kensington as a whole, and one of the highest in London; nearly half of all children lived in overcrowded conditions and 70 per cent of households shared, or had no access to, a bath or shower.
The Trust raised funds from the public to buy dilapidated properties at auction. By renovating these houses to provide decent, affordable rented housing, it was pivotal in preventing poor residents being pushed out of the area. When Coward joined as the Trust’s first paid executive it had five properties. When he retired 21 years later as chief executive, it was managing almost 8,000.
Related Articles
The Rev Bruce Kenrick
19 Jan 2007
Nine hundred of these were purchased under shared ownership arrangements, and it was Coward who pioneered the concept. Working with government and building societies, he launched the first “shared equity” or “community leasehold” schemes in the country. The first property to be sold in this way was at 88 Ladbroke Grove, and a team at the Housing Trust was established to develop the idea further. There are now an estimated 145,000 shared ownership properties in England alone.
John Coward was born on December 20 1924 in Cardiff. After education at Sheen Grammar School he served in the Signals Corps in India during the war, maintaining military communications from forts on the North-West Frontier, where he learned Urdu from Indian comrades.
He returned to England in 1947, just before Partition, and joined Hammersmith Council as General Assistant. After studying for housing exams he joined Richmond Council, where he remained until he moved to the Notting Hill Housing Trust.
Coward built strong relationships with people at all levels . As well as his work in Notting Hill, he served in the 1960s as a member of the Shelter board of trustees, and as a member of the National Federation of Housing Associations’ council and as chairman of its housing improvement committee, where he pressed for improved subsidy arrangements which were eventually incorporated in the 1974 Housing Act.
He was also a founder member of the London Housing Associations Committee and founding chairman of the United Housing Trust.
In the 1970s he became a founder member of the Family Housing Association, a member of the government’s Central Housing Policy Review Advisory Group and was appointed to the board of the Housing Corporation.
He was appointed OBE for services to housing in 1974.
After his retirement he took up flying and got a pilot’s licence; he enjoyed gardening and tending his allotment. In later life he moved to north Norfolk, but he remained interested and involved in housing through the Housing Corporation and the Sutton Trust, which he chaired from 1980 to 1984 and then again from 1994 to 1996.
John Coward married, in 1949, Helen Heal, who survives him with their two sons.
John Coward, born December 20 1924, died November 20 2013

DEREK CARR, June 2016

DEREK CARR, June 2016

Derek sadly passed away on Friday 10th June, 2016.  His three sons, Julian, Andy and Adrian, were with him and he was very peaceful throughout his short stay in Kingston Hospital.

Derek's funeral is arranged for 2.40pm on Friday 24th June at Mortlake Crematorium, Kew Meadow Path, Townmead Road, Richmond, TW9 4EN.

Afterwards his family will be hosting a celebration of Derek's life at The Plough, 42 Christchurch Road, East Sheen, SW14 7AF.

Messages may be sent to Derek's family via
Adriancarr99@outlook.com or Mobile 07739 978756.

Derek's family would very much look forward to seeing any of the Shene Old Boys on the 24th and celebrating his great life.

They would very much appreciate it if you could advise them if you are able to attend, so that they can plan accordingly.

They are planning family flowers only, but please do feel free to get in touch with Julian, Andy or Adrian directly. less