Dick & Anne Rhodes Former Housemaster 1966-2000
Sunday 21 January 2024
RGN Rhodes, HCS Master, 1966-2000It is with sadness that we record the death of Richard ('Dick') Rhodes, on the evening of 21 January 2024. He was an outstanding servant of HCS who held numerous positions at the school during his 34 year tenure. These are some of them: Classics teacher and Head of Classics for 15 years; Housemaster of the Old Deanery for a similar period; teacher of Russian and ICT; Co-ordinator for General Studies; Sixth Form Master, with responsibility for university entrance and the careers fair; editor of The Herefordian; master in charge of debating; founder of the Gilbert Consort, the Classics and Traherne Societies; badminton and cricket coach, and supremo of the 1st XI. How RGNR managed all these responsibilities, some lasting throughout much of his tenure - and in the case of the Gilbert Consort outlasting his 34 years as a teacher - is quite beyond belief. And there were other contributions to the Cathedral School family that Dick made outside the Deanery gates. To name but two, he was a founding trustee of the OH (Zimmerman) Trust, which has been so important to the school's development, and executed that role for over 40 years; and on his retirement, he served as the Common Room liaison governor.As this extensive list of responsibilities indicates, Dick was a cultured man of wide enthusiasms, 'a wonderfully eccentric polymath' as an OH once wrote. And to me, he was a wonderfully supportive colleague and latterly a close friend. We shared many interests together and strong Yorkshire bonds, and I will miss him dearly.We extend our condolences to Anne Rhodes, and to Liz, Peter and Kate (all three, OHs) on their irreplaceable loss. RGNR will also be mourned by generations of his former pupils, as well as numerous colleagues and friends, for this gifted, generous, wise, humorous and compassionate man he was a great teacher and companion to so many.Howard Tomlinson, Headmaster HCS, 1987-2005.
It is with immense sadness that we announce the passing of Anne Rhodes, former teacher at Hereford Cathedral Junior School and wife of Richard (‘Dick’) Rhodes, former HCS Housemaster, who sadly died on 21 January.Anne retired from HCJS in 2007 and is fondly remembered by all those who were fortunate enough to know her. She was a kind, loyal and compassionate member of staff, whose long association with HCS, alongside Dick’s, stretched back to 1968 as teacher, parent, houseparent, musical support, supply teacher and champion of the school. She will be greatly missed by generations of pupils, as well as parents and colleagues.Our thoughts and prayers are with Anne and Dick’s friends and family, and especially Liz, Peter and Kate. A celebration of their lives will take place in the Lady Chapel, Hereford Cathedral, on 13 February at 12.30pm. Black dress optional, family flowers only please.