 From the 1965 School photo |
 From the 1970 School photo |
 From the 1972 School photo |
From the 1965 School photo |
From the 1970 School photo |
From the 1972 School photo |
Mr Wood can also be seen on some of the recent Annual Dinner pages.
Gareth Wood writes (2008 and 2002): "Born in Preston in 1938, I lived at Farington, Leyland (where the Motors came from!), Lancashire until I was 12. I went to junior schools in both Farington and then Leyland and then in 1949-50 to Hutton Grammar School, Preston (where Brian Heap, the Careers Adviser, taught - though well after my time).
I moved to Birstall, nr Leeds, Yorkshire in 1950 and became a rabid Lancastrian (Preston North End, Lancashire CCC!). I attended Batley GS 1950-57 which was the school Joseph Priestley ('discoverer' of oxygen) and OW Richardson (inventor of the thermionic valve) also went to - a little before my time!
From there I progressed to Manchester University.
I worked for Johnson, Matthey at Burslem and Kidsgrove (Staffordshire) for 15 months before deciding to teach. Teacher training? - there was a shortage of Science Teachers at the time - they were desperate!
I taught at Burton on Trent GS from January 1962 to August 1964. Here John Mantle, John Dawes, Tom Brophy et al who were all international Rugby players had a teaching stint from Loughborough - the PE teacher at Burton, Vic Roebuck, was a legendary character.
At this point I married and then moved to SGS for September 1964 - we lived in Fordham and have done so ever since. I was a member of the SGS Staff Badminton Club.
Fortunately, I was promoted at various stages and that was often a good enough reason to stay put. In 1972 I was appointed as Head of Science at the City of Ely College at its inception as a Comprehensive School and subsequently was made Deputy Head of the main school (11-16) when Alan Bullock was my immediate superior (he eventually became Principal at Soham Village College).
My Sixth Form teaching in particular kept me sane for much of my teaching career! When Ely merged with Littleport Village College in the eighties I became a Sixth Form Tutor and regained responsibilities for Sixth Form examination entries. I retired from full-time teaching in 1993 though did some supply teaching for three or four years after that (which I quite enjoyed).
All three of our children attended Soham Village College and then came to our Sixth Form at Ely."
Friends of St Peter's Fordham was a voluntary village society run by Gareth Wood andd the committee for the benefit of the community of the village of Fordham and its links with Soham - concerts and recitals were regularly staged in both Fordham and Soham bringing not only some excellent music to the area, but also bringing people together to enjoy a variety of music.It no longer exists as a concert promoting organisation - the last concert was in June 2007. It was subsumed into the Church Preservation Trust and its concert activities are no longer Gareth's responsibility.
Soham Grammarian Summer 1965
We offer a belated but sincere welcome to the three masters who joined the Staff last September, when Mr IW Jones took charge of the Mathematics Department, and Mr JR Adkins and Mr RG Wood joined the Science Staff to teach Physics and Chemistry respectively. We are grateful for our good fortune in filling these key posts at a time when Mathematics and Science teachers are in short supply.
Frank Haslam '59' writes: Though he may not recall it Gareth spurred me on to apply to read Chemistry at University College London by telling me it had been one of his choices. He was enthusiastic, patient, had a dry wit and was always encouraging us to do better.
If you can add memories of Mr Wood or provide further photos of him, please contact the editor.
page last updated 28 Jan 2008