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From David Hallam-Jones (with apologies for the delay in posting it here)
As an ex-pupil of the school concerned, I thought that some of your readers might wish to be made aware of the recent death of Mr John Henry Delves, a long-standing member of the teaching staff of Kennylands Secondary Modern Boarding School, Sonning Common. I am attaching some biographical notes about John in case they might be of interest to anyone who knew of him and/or of the school itself. John came to know and love your area passionately and often organised outings in the locality for pupils.
Yours sincerely,
David J. Hallam-Jones
John H. Delves (1920-2010)
John Delves was a full-time member of the teaching staff at Kennylands Secondary Modern Boarding School, Kennylands Road, Sonning Common between 1947-1980 and by the time the school closed in 1980 he had clocked up 33 years of unbroken service within it, having being employed initially to provide "6 months temporary cover".
As a young man he read Latin and Greek at Reading University and then, after he had been called up to serve in the army, he spent most of World War II in southern India. Once demobbed in 1946, he undertook a year long teacher-training course, also at Reading University.
Soon afterwards, armed with an honours degree and a teaching certificate, he answered an advertisement for a temporary teaching position at Kennylands School. He was successful at interview and was thus appointed into this, his first and only, teaching appointment.
'Delbo,' as he knew that he was nicknamed, was an immensely popular teacher who taught many subjects during his career at Kennylands School. However, it seems highly likely that many of his pupils will most remember his interest and skills in teaching French and his love of rural studies and photography.
When the school closed, John chose not to transfer to Hockerill Boarding School* in Bishop's Stortford with the rest of the staff and pupils, retiring instead to Newbury, his home town.
John died in his sleep at home in Newbury on 10 May 2010.
* Hockerill Boarding School, Bishop's Stortford was formed in 1980 by the amalgamation of two Essex Education Committee-funded boarding schools, i.e. Fyfield School, Ongar, Essex and Kennylands School, both of which were co-educational boarding schools. Hockerill School closed in 1994 to make way for Hockerill Anglo-European School.
If you would like to read more about Kennylands School, you can do so on this small 'remembrance site'.
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