St Edward's Rhubarb - 2018

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30 ST EDWARD’S r hubarb
course, a devoted follower of rugby,
particularly the Welsh team and the
British Lions. Violet also spent time with
her many nieces and nephews, family and
friends. Throughout the years of failing
health, Violet was patient, charitable and
cheerful. A loving sister and sister-in-
law, devoted aunt and loyal friend, Violet
passed away peacefully on Sunday 27th
November 2017.
The OSE Office sent notice of Violet’s
death to former colleagues and pupils
of Cowell’s and Segar’s and received the
most wonderful memories in return.
The following comes from former
colleague Rob Hughes (Teacher of Music,
1978-2010):
Violet was a most extraordinary lady,
a real old-fashioned house nurse. She was
a fully qualified SRN and was a lady with a
huge heart, birthday parties for all in the
two houses, paid for by her! She attended
EVERY event that a house member was
in, was brilliant with the homesick children
and rain or snow would be on the
touchline in her green poncho.
I have had so many messages from
OSE and parents offering sympathy and
reaching out to me over her death. I am
not surprised. She was the WORST driver
on the planet, it took her five goes to
pass, (three in Oxford and two in Wales)
and she passed. Pupils were terrified of
her driving them to hospital and would
never have set foot in her car either!
One OSE asked if I was following the
response to her death on the media…
they all highlight her driving skills or lack
of. In my 32 years at the school I know of
no other who was so extraordinary. Every
pupil in the school knew Miss D.
Michael McCall
(CR, 1987-1991)
Michael McCall (CR, 19787-1991) on 8th
April 2018. Our thanks to his sister for
informing us. Abridged entry from The
Chronicle in 1991 which was written by
Richard Anderson when Mike left Teddies.
Michael McCall joined the Common
Room from Cranleigh in 1987 as a
mathematician. He brought a slightly
old fashioned academic rigour to the
classroom, teaching his sets very fully
and extremely conscientiously to the
highest standards. He had little time
for modern, or fashionable, trends in
mathematics education - any suggestion
that maths could be taught through the
sort of project which starts off: " How
many rugby balls can you fit in the back
of a minibus " would turn him apoplectic.
But those who were prepared to accept
his approach learnt much. Apart from
Mathematics his other great enthusiasm
was cricket. He took the 3rd XI for all
the time he was here, and in a typically
unobtrusive way was brilliantly successful.
Local Wisdens say that his team had the
best record of any school team of the
time, including an unbeaten season in
1990. The school General Knowledge
teams were also very successfully
organised by him, reaching the finals of
regional competitions a number of times.
He also organised the very popular inter-
departmental ( Common Room and boys)
Quiz Competition. He was promoted
Assistant Head of the Mathematics
Department in 1989 and always enhanced
departmental meetings with tongue-
in-cheek asides, which gently deflated
colleagues' more fanciful suggestions. He
left Teddies in 1991 to be the Head of
Mathematics at King's School, Gloucester.
Common Room Obituaries
John Anderson
On 17th May 2017, John Anderson (CR,
1969-1971). Our thanks to colleague
Roger Lawrence (CR, 1959-1970) for
letting us know.
Violet Davies
Michael McCall
Violet Davies
(1937-2017)
On 27th November 2017, Violet Davies
(House Nurse of Cowell’s and Segar’s,
1979-2001). The following obituary
was kindly sent in by Violet’s niece,
Priscilla Phillips:
Miss Violet Davies was born in 1937
into a large family in rural St Clears,
Carmarthenshire, Wales. Violet was
premature and weighed in at under three
pounds; she spent the first weeks of her
life being cared for in a wooden drawer and
thrived. Violet attended the local church
primary and then grammar school, where
she developed an interest in sport. Violet’s
first paid job was in a local sweet and pie
shop, owned by her uncle, and then she
worked in Lloyds Bank. Violet represented
the bank in hockey tournaments. Violet
trained as a nurse in Swansea and received
her SRN, then decided to specialise
working with children, in Carmarthen,
Birmingham and New Zealand. Violet was
House Nurse at St Edward’s for many
happy years until her retirement. During
retirement Violet was a member of many
clubs and societies – WI, Mothers Union
and belly dancing to name a few and, of
V A L E T E
O B I T U A R I E S