Soham Grammarians - Mr JW Rennison

We extend our warmest welcome to Mr Ades, Mr Scott and Mr Sherrington who all joined us in September, and to Mr Rennison who took over the History department in January this year. Let us hope that their stay is long and enjoyable.

We also said farewell to Mr Rennison, who goes to Tewkesbury Grammar School as Senior Master, and to Mr Royal-Dawson, who goes to the Leventhorpe School, Sawbridgeworth as Senior English Master. To both the thanks of all are extended for all their multifarious services, and our best wishes for their future happiness and success: we shall miss the quiet efficiency of the one and the equally quiet untidiness of the other.

At Soham Grammar School, he - Jethro - taught History at from January 1961 to July 1967.

Bill was a member of the staff badminton club formed by Warwick Ellis , took part in many school trips and helped on a number of productions.

His contribution to the Scouting life of the school was recognised when he was invited to return in 1968 to open the new Scouting hut.

Educated at Doncaster Grammar School and St John's College Oxford, in 1954 he went to teach History at King James's Grammar School Almondbury, Huddersfield.

As their website says "He lost no time in proposing a School Scout Troop, the investiture of which - as 46th Huddersfield troop - took place on 9th March 1955 with himself as Scout Master". The actor Gordon Kaye was in one of his Forms.

From Soham he went to be Deputy Head at Tewkesbury Grammar School where he spent five "happy and I think productive years" until the four Tewkesbury secondary schools were combined in 1972 to become Tewkesbury School. For thirteen years he was head of Upper School, taking early retirement in 1985.

1959

The Rennisons decided to stay in Gloucestershire, in Tewkesbury, which is about the same size as Ely, but "much more friendly and interesting". Bill was on the Town Council for seventeen years and was Mayor in 1979-80.

In retirement he retained his Scouting connection, serving as District Commissioner and finally President. He sang in the choir of St Nicholas Ashchurch and with the Tewkesbury Choral Society.

He was a founder member of the Tewkesbury Historical Society and was Treasurer for many years and still helps with the editing of the Annual Bulletin.

In 2006 he was widowed. His wife Ruth was a New Zealander and at one time he seriously considered emigrating there but the right post never came up. In retirement they had two long holidays in New Zealand and visited "most parts of that beautiful country".

In 2007 his was one of the homes devastated by the flooding that affected large parts of Gloucestershire.

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page last updated 31 October 2007