Richard Hyde Taylor (FS 58-64).

Chris Taylor (FS 57-62) has kindly sent the following notice about his brother Richard.

“After leaving St Bees in 1964 he studied at Manchester University contributing to student publications, where he managed to get an interview with Diana Rigg, who was appearing in Manchester at the time, a highlight in Richard’s life at that time. He graduated with a BA in English Language and Literature in 1967 and an external BA in Law and Economics from the University of London.

He went on to teach English at Kimbolton School in Huntingdonshire for a year before going to the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, where he was a part-time lecturer whilst studying, gaining an MA in English class 1 in 1971.
Returning to the UK in 1971, he studied for his PhD at Edinburgh University specialising in the works of Thomas Hardy. While there he met his future wife, Pamela, and they were married in 1974 near her home in Denstone.

After leaving Edinburgh with his PhD, he was senior lecturer in English at the University of London Institute of Education at Stockwell College in Bromley, Kent from 1975-1981. Whilst there he occasionally visited the ILEA TV studios in Battersea, where in the canteen he was surprised and delighted to run into his old Headmaster, James Wykes, which developed into a firm friendship with James and his wife. It was also around this time that he met the DJ Alan ‘Fluff’ Freeman, which also resulted in a lasting friendship.

Whilst lecturing at the Schiller International University Wickham Court campus Richard met the founder, Walter Leibrecht, who offered him the opportunity to become Principal of their central London campus to be set up in what had been the Royal Waterloo Hospital building on the South Bank opposite Waterloo Station.

When the London campus closed, Richard continued occasionally lecturing at the University of London but effectively retired to Malvern, where he and Pam had moved following her appointment as Principal at Newman College in Birmingham. There he was able to continue his love of gardening in their hillside home and walk on the Malvern hills.

He was responsible for three books: The Neglected Hardy, The Personal Notebooks of Thomas Hardy and Emma Hardy’s diaries.

He remained in contact with friends and masters from school until his death on January 15th 2024.”

 

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