Paul Williams (M 48-58)

From David Hedley (FN 52-57):

“I’m sad to hear that Paul Williams has died but it’s good to know this was peaceful and did not involve a long stay in his care home, away from his wonderful home in Corsica Street.

That’s where I picture him, but also remember the house he shared with Bertie in Castlehaven Road, and before that his study/sitting room at St Bees. Here he would invite the fortunate few to play readings, and a rare opportunity to appreciate a quality of life in an otherwise Spartan environment. And yes, sophistication to the point of a pin to prevent slippage with his shantung ties. (I wonder how many of us would have noticed these details – I know his sense of style and decor reached more of us than he would have guessed.).

I was three years in the Arts Sixth and Paul was for me the most inspirational of my teachers at St Bees. Then there were the plays he produced, which have given me some of the most positive and enduring memories of school life, with no idea then of Paul’s continuing influence in my life.

I’d left school to read English at Durham, then for want of any clear direction in life had worked briefly in industry and so it would be five years after St Bees that I contacted Paul about the possibility of my becoming an English teacher. His encouragement and support led to his posting a number of books and to the suggestion that I learn more about NATE (National Association for the Teaching of English).

I survived, barely, my first six months as what I would now call a supply teacher, and Paul, probably sensing it would be a good idea for me to move on, mentioned lightly that it could be worth my applying for a post at Coopers’ Company’s School in Mile End. He happened by then, after his sabbatical venture in the world of dress design, to be Head of the English department.

Looking back I don’t recall any close monitoring, just a quiet encouragement over those three years, giving me the experience and confidence to move on with my career in secondary and then adult education. And when I came to produce school plays, I followed his meticulous model of dismantling two scripts to reassemble with text and direction notes in parallel, though costume design was a step too far.

On a very different tack, our experience in the mid sixties of Paul and Bertie’s relationship was itself a support in our response, twenty years or so later, when our son told us he was gay. Their example helped us recognise that this need be no bar to a fulfilling life, and of course social attitudes were already changing significantly. They were there at a much more challenging time!

So Paul has made a real impact on my life for which I am very grateful. I’m glad that in recent years I was able to tell him something of this, though of course not enough.”

 

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