Jeremy Woodhouse was born in Peterborough on August 7, 1938 and passed away July 19, 2021 aged 82

Shortly after his birth and a few days before war was declared, his father Wing Commander H. de C. A. (Paddy) Woodhouse (SF 28-32) wrote to the Headmaster to seek assurance that, “whatever happens the boy will be able to finish his education there.” Assurance given Jeremy arrived at School Field in 1953. Over the course of time, he was made House Captain, Prefect, Head of House and Senior Cadet in the CCF. He recalled fondly his housemaster Jim Willams who would invite him up to his study for a pint of beer.

After history at Oxford, Jeremy began his teaching career in Tanzania. For the next three years he was Housemaster, Head of history and Master of cricket and shooting. He travelled in Kenya, Ethiopia and the Tanzanian Bush, describing his time there as “sheer freedom – the freedom to be, to think, to do what one wishes, the freedom to translate those thoughts into action. It’s indescribably exhilarating.”

From there he travelled to Sweden where he met and married his wife Kristina, returning to England in 1966 with her and a small baby to take up a teaching post at Marlborough College. He taught until 1989 and then became Registrar until 1994. He kept in contact and built up friendships with many former pupils from around the world.

In 1974 he joined the Territorial Army, commissioned in the Royal Green Jackets as a Lieutenant and retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1985. One of his responsibilities was to establish a completely new Training Team for the TA throughout the six counties of the South West and by the time he relinquished command it was running courses not only for the TA but for volunteers from all the Reserve Forces and Regular Army Units.

Possessing a phenomenal intellect, Jeremy had an exceptional memory for people, dates, funny anecdotes and quotes from history. He frequently read in German to keep the brain sharp and loved debate, seeing it as the ultimate sport. He also loved music, particularly opera and preferably played at a volume high enough to blow your socks off.

When Jeremy was younger, he would set off on walking holidays in Scotland and Dartmoor and right up until his legs refused to co-operate he would go up to Salisbury Plain to gaze across the wide expanse of open countryside towards the distant horizon. His garden was a riot of colour, bulbs, seeds and trees that he had ordered, which continued to arrive for months after his death.

Jeremy had a heart condition and after his consultant told him he had two to three years left to live he declared that from now on it would be oysters and Nyetimber – two and a half years later his last meal was just that. He died peacefully at home.

Adapted from a contribution by Rebecca Bayliss, daughter.