It is with great sadness that I report the passing of former schoolboy and House Master of Pelham, Ronnie Wood. Words kindly written by long-time friend and former colleague, Ricky Winn.

Ronnie knew Worksop College well, joining the school as a boy in 1946 on an Exhibition. A member of Pelham House, Ronnie went on to become Head of School and Prefect of Chapel as well as being a fine games player. Upon leaving Worksop in 1951, he went on to read English at Cambridge where he gained a coveted hockey blue.

In 1954 the newish Headmaster, Roger Northcote-Green, was seeking some younger staff members and appointed me and the great English and Lions rugby centre, Jeff Butterfield, with Ronnie joining us in 1962 to teach English and coach hockey, amongst other things.

His teaching of English was always lively as he challenged his pupils to think ‘out of the box’ and gave them a great love of literature, especially Dickens.

As my House Tutor of Portland, I knew that on my days off everything would be in

order in the House, with no one taking advantage of my absence. One of Ronnie’s Pelham House boys has said that as Housemaster he treated VI formers as adults, and he was someone whose wisdom one may return to years after one had left. He was a true mentor, but not to be disturbed if Wagner was on full volume on his Hi-Fi system!

As a hockey coach he understood strategically how to win; it was a simple game because you pass and then move into space! I drove the minibus with the 1st XI team at the Oxford Hockey Festival each year and when we dined on Trinity College High table, it was evident that the other coaches considered Ronnie one of the best boys’ hockey coaches in the country.

He was happy in his own company as he played the piano and read a lot. But he was also very sociable and ready to be good company and was very kind. On retirement to Eastbourne in 1995, after serving as a Master for 33 years, he took piano lessons again and managed to do some painting, although could not be persuaded to exhibit, which was a pity.

Very many - young and old - will miss Ronnie, for he was a man who left you feeling better within yourself that you knew him.