Peter Broadhurst (M 57-87), who died on 15th September, 2016.

Peter’s son Stuart (G 69-74) writes:

“My Dad was, until the end, as difficult as possible, which was predictable if not a touch frustrating.

Only ‘Butch’ could trap his leg in the banister and hang upside down for twelve hours before I found him, only to be instructed to get an angle grinder to free him. This I did not do, but the Fire Service did. He was flown to Preston Hospital by air ambulance where he engaged in a boxing match until they got the ventilator in him. Sadly, even for him, this was too much, toxic shock took over as his leg was released from the pressure and he passed away.

His love for his pupils was his only passion. He gave them all so much, there won’t be one that won’t remember him fondly. Strict but fair, kind, critical, funny but above all he made all our lives the better. He only said the other day that all of his pupils were his life.

I miss him as a father though he was a strict bugger. My first bike was a 12 speed racer for Xmas, delivered in a box of bits. ‘Put that together in the Metal Workshop at school and give me a shout when you get stuck! That’s how we learn!’ Same with my first car. I’ve never had to put a car in a garage since!

He taught me to ski parallels with a belt round my ankles and no doubt he did the same to a few of his pupils!

In my first lesson in the Art rooms in the Old Mem Hall, he knocked me off my seat as he walked in, no favouritism here was the message, the best thing he could have done! 

He was basically as hard as nails! 

When he was doing his National Service he was posted to the Sinai desert, which he hated, but due to the fact that he could type he was put in the Adjutant’s office, when not firing guns. A ‘post’ was sent that anyone that could ski and had a reasonable grasp of German could apply to join the Austrian army for mountain warfare training. Dad applied but neglected to post the notice, so being the only applicant he was accepted. He didn’t speak German nor could he ski but ‘how hard can it be?’ He was a fit, soon to be PE student. The German bit was a problem but he had a German dictionary so off he went! They had two weeks to settle in before the course started so he came clean to the Austrian guys he was with. They spoke German for two weeks and taught him basic skiing. That’s how to do it! Make it happen!

‘Butch’ taught us all to ‘get off your arse, stop winging and make your dreams happen’. So remember, he’s watching now and may just come back and kick your arse!”

 

 

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