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29 ST EDWARD’S r hubarb
O B I T U A R I E S
Common Room Obituaries
Peter Mallalieu 1937–2017
Peter was born in Stockport in 1937 and
went to Durham University, graduating with
a Physics degree. He then took a MSc degree
before commencing his physics teaching
career which began at Sunderland High
School for Girls. Peter’s enduring knowledge
and love of art demonstrated itself early in his
career in Sunderland where he also managed
an art gallery.
In 1967 Peter and his family moved south
when he took up a post as a physics master
at Teddies. He remained there for the next
twenty-five years until taking early retirement
in 1992. He was also Housemaster of Apsley
from 1981-92. Peter was a popular master
and he was known for always being willing to
help struggling boys (as letters received after
his death attest). In 1980, Peter married Jenny
to whom he was married for thirty-seven
years (they had, in fact, been together in total
for forty-three years). He was a very keen
and competitive sportsman, and during his
time at Teddies he ran the golf team, and he
was a Major in the CCF army section. He was
also involved in the Duke of Edinburgh award
scheme and Adventure training. He coached
the 2nd X1 cricket, and he was a highly
effective medium fast bowler himself as well
as coaching the 2nd XV rugby. In addition, he
was wine member for the Common Room.
Peter also led expeditions to Morocco’s Atlas
Mountains in 1967, to the Canadian Rockies
in 1974 and to the Pyrenees in 1980.
As an extremely keen golfer himself, he
played here in the UK, France and USA. It
was his great joy to be part of the BUDA cup;
an annual amateur competition between the
UK and the USA. Through this event he made
strong friendships with his ‘pals across the
pond’. He was a member of the Pedagogue’s
Society and enjoyed the Links courses at
Littlestone, Rye and Royal St. George’s.
Playing at Pinehurst No.2 was a particularly
memorable experience for him.
Peter was also a mountaineer. In 1986,
he was invited by Mike Beeley, Surgeon
Commodore RN (OSE, Apsley), as a
member of the Royal Navy and Royal
Marines Mountaineering Club’s 1987
expedition to East Africa, where he climbed
Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro. His love of
mountaineering led he and Jenny to purchase
researched and illustrated 240-page book
The Artists of the Alpine Club, the proceed
of which went to the Alpine Club climbing
fund. He was delighted to be given an
emeritus position by the Club in recognition
of his outstanding contribution.
Latterly, owing to his health issues, Peter
and Jenny decided to relocate to the lower
altitude of the Auvergne, where they had a
wide circle of friends and companions. He
and Jenny divided their time between their
homes in the UK and France. Peter was very
much a family man and took great pride in
his grandchildren and great granddaughter.
Over 34 visits to the USA, they were able
to visit family there and share many happy
occasions.
He is sorely missed by his wife Jenny and
his children, Mark, Cate, Paul and Rachel, but
Peter had a full, and a very happy life, and we
have much to celebrate.
a ramshackle property in the Alps where he
was able to ski, mountaineer and explore
the mountains during the holidays. His first
Alpine mountaineering routes were in the
Dauphiné Alps in 1987 and 1988; these
included routes on Mont Pelvoux and the
Barre des Écrins. Although renovation
work on the property took up much of
his time, he nevertheless took time off
from construction activities to climb a
number of routes, including the Aiguille
de la Vanoise, Pigne d’Arolla, Signalkuppe,
Castor, Breithorn, Allalinhorn, Weissmies
and the Lagginhorn. During his later years,
he did a number of respectable routes
including the Grande Casse in the Vanoise
National Park and Italy’s Gran Paradiso. He
also commenced ski mountaineering and,
in 1996, he was delighted to ski the Haute
Route from Chamonix to Zermatt. When his
days of climbing 4,000m mountains ended,
he became contented
and very happy to
climb lower, less-
frequented mountains,
of which there are a
considerable number in
the Alps.
Peter became a Full
Member of the Alpine
Club in autumn 1992,
when he was seconded
by his colleague from
Teddies, Richard
Anderson. The Club
soon recognised
Peter’s outstanding
knowledge of art
and he became the
Honorary Keeper of
the Club’s Paintings,
and took on the
task of restoration –
something of which he
was extremely proud.
Together with Jenny’s
help, Peter organised
many mountain art
exhibitions at the
Alpine Club and in
2011 he produced
the delightful, well-