Don Theakston former teacher 1958-1991
Friday 08 December 2023
From the Hereford times 14/12/2023Donald "Don" Wilfred Theakston, born in Silvertown, East London, on 9 February 1930, died peacefully in Brockington House care home in Hereford on 8 December 2023, at the age of 93. Donald is survived by his loving wife, Pauline Mary Theakston (nee Wells), children, Graham Donald Theakston, David John Theakston and Emma Elizabeth Mackay (nee Theakston), and grandchildren Leah, Claud, Harvey, Anni and Zoë. The funeral, arranged by Cathedral Funeral Services, will be held at Hereford Crematorium, Westfaling Street, Hereford, HR4 OJE on Tuesday 9 January 2024 at 11.15am. Family flowers only, however charitable donations, if desired, can be made to Oxfam, WaterAid, and/or Médecins Sans Frontières.Howard Tomlinson's tribute to Don on his retirement from the 1991 OH MagazineMr. Don Theakston is a School-master in the realsense of the word. Don's 'leaving' after 33 years reallydoes bring us to the end of an era, for he is the lastmember of the current teaching staff of the 1950svintage, and one of the few left to have been appointedby Mr. Peebles. Indeed, in one sense Don links us backto Mr. Hopewell, Peebles' predecessor, for I believethat Don's first official function at the School inSeptember 1958 was to officiate at the opening of thegymnasium, built by the Old Boys as a memorial to theonly Old Herefordian to have become Headmaster ofthe Cathedral School. Not that I would wish to give theimpression that Don was of a bye-gone age. Indeed,few school-teachers can have been more active rightup to their moment of retirement than Don Theakston.Even though his fourth and last HCS Headmaster canvouch only for the last four years of his career, I cantestify to Don's great energy and abilities not only inhis teaching and running of the Geographydepartment, but also in his tutoring; in his involvementin CCF pursuits and Outward Bound activities; and inhis organising of the Activity Days, the CommonRoom and School golf activity, and the MarchesSevens competition. But I think that Don himself anoutstanding games player - an England school-boyfinal trialist at rugby, and a university and countyrugby player and pole-vaulter - Don has not only theprofessional expertise required to coach games to ahigh level, but also the great ability to bring out thebest in games players whatever their natural level ofability. There can be no better illustration of this thanthat of last December, when many of the best rugbyplayers that the school produced in the 1970s(including 9 members of the outstanding 1st team in1976/77) came back to play in DWT's XV against ayounger OH XV. And a fine exhibition of rugby theygave in blizzard conditions. Don we salute and thankyou, and wish you and Pauline every happiness in your'retirement' - or should I say semi-retirement, for I amdelighted that you will be continuing your longassociation with HCS as Commanding Officer of theCCF from next year.
Donald Wilfred Theakston was born in Silvertown, West Ham, East London, on the 9th of February 1930, to Wilfred (Bill) and Anne (nee Rush) Theakston. He grew up in Chingford. In his youth he was keen on all kinds of sports and athletics, running, cricket, gymnastics, pole vault, and, of course rugby, which he played internationally. He also enjoyed figure skating He used to cycle from Chingford, down the Balls Pond Road, to the East London docks, where he worked shovelling coal on barges, to pay his way to go to university. He went to university in Birmingham in the early 50s where he met Pauline Wells, They both went on to Norwich for teacher training and they married and set uphome in Herefordshire. Don’s service to HCS as school master ran from the end of the 1950s to 1990, where he taught Geography and Sports, plus a bit of Latin in the early days. He co-founded the Herefordshire Schools Rugby Union in 1965, and along with Bob Talbot, co- founded the Marches Sevens in 1977. He became an official Major of the British Army, to lead the school corps. He also ran the Duke of Edinburgh Awards at school and had great ambitions of his own to climb all the peaks in the country – he managed a fair few. Don spent his final year and a bit, together with Pauline, in Brockington House care home, where he’ll be missed by the staff, who he made a lasting impression upon. We are comforted to know Pauline will continue to be well looked after there.Emma MackayThe whole family – children, grandchildren and beyond all remember what a lovely funny man he was, and always a true gentleman. He is greatly missed.