J.D. Evans (M 1995-2014)

Jon Mellor (M 1994-2013) has kindly contributed the following:

“Jeffrey Evans arrived at St Bees School as Head of English and Housemaster in September 1995. He moved into School House with his springer spaniel Max and they were soon affectionately dubbed Wallace and Gromit.

For nearly two decades, Jeff shared his love of his subject with St Bees pupils. He could inspire the brightest to stretch themselves further and also wring examination success from the most unpromising raw material. For those possessed of a desire to learn, he would always go the extra mile, irrespective of their ability.

He was a man of strong opinions, as those who clashed with him can testify. Compromise and moral relativism were not for Jeff. The integrity that underpinned a sometimes censorious stance was evident to all who knew him, and he rarely, if ever, took the line of least resistance. His principles derived in no small measure from his Christian faith, which underpinned so much of his life and service to the school.

Jeff admired the ideal of the complete Renaissance man, and his school life was certainly multifaceted. He sang in the choir, coached rugby in his first years at St Bees, produced plays, counselled debaters and public speakers, oversaw the school magazine, was an officer in the CCF and eventually led the contingent in his last few years at the school.

He was justly proud of the way the CCF developed under his leadership, particularly when it enabled so many pupils to gain their Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards. He was passionate about the value of the Corps for young people and fully deserved the award of the Lord Lieutenant’s Certificate in 2008 for his dedicated service.

His productions for the Drama department were rich and varied. His crowning achievement as a director and conductor was a co-production, with Hugh Turpin, of Stephen Sondheim's monumentally ambitious ‘Sweeney Todd’ - a tour de force few amateur groups would dare to attempt, let alone with a cast of secondary school age.

Jeff loved teaching. He carried on beyond retirement age and bowed out just before his 65th birthday. Devastated when the school's closure loomed six months later, Jeff offered a year's teaching for no salary if it would help the rescue attempt. Sadly, he did not live to see the school's doors reopening later this year. He leaves behind a legacy of young people whose love of the spoken and written word was nurtured by an inspirational teacher.”

 

 

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