It is with enormous sadness that we announce the passing of much-loved and respected member of staff Nigel Furley, who passed away on Monday 5th December.
Nigel arrived at Bloxham as Head of Geography in September 1971 from MCS Oxford, as part of a cadre of ten new young staff appointed in the early 70s by Derek Seymour, and before long he had met and married the new School Sister, Janet Stuart. He and Jan had three daughters, Emma, Annabel and Charlotte, all Bloxhamists, and one of his Assistant Housemasters in Wilberforce, Will Robinson, noted that, ‘I believe that it was his unwavering commitment and love for his family that marked Nigel out to me as a rare and special man.’
Nigel was an outstanding Housemaster of ‘Force for sixteen years, and many generations of boys and girls have reason to be thankful to Nigel and Jan for creating what his colleague Mike Tideswell termed ‘a relaxed and comfortable regime which was appreciated by their charges’. One Old Wilberforce boy contacted the school on the news of Nigel’s passing to say, ‘What a special person he was. He was a man I respected enormously and who helped shape me into the person I have become’, while another commented, ‘I can’t believe it. I owe so much to that gentleman.’
Nigel ran the Geography department for nineteen years, and his successor Nick Pigott recorded in 2004 that, ‘I have much enjoyed Nigel’s humour and enthusiasm, as have all the pupils he taught. His love for, and mastery of, his subject and his entertaining yet authoritative delivery have inspired so many of his pupils.’ Nigel was known for the odd mild expletive, for his utterly illegible handwriting and for the endlessly inventive nicknames he invented for pupils. One boy with the surname ‘Yarborough’ became ‘Market’, while Lara Hutsby was re-christened ‘Brian’ after the West Indian batting legend Brian Lara, and Oscar Snow was variously addressed in class as Charlie, Bravo, Echo, or even Foxtrot.
Nigel played rugby and cricket for Oxfordshire and took the first team in both sports for many seasons. A true sportsman and schoolmaster, he coached three terms of games for twenty-three years. He attempted to retire in 2004 but was soon back helping with Geography teaching, cricket and exam invigilation, and he and Jan continued to be familiar presences in the village. Our sympathies go out to Jan and to their daughters and members of the family. All those who knew Nigel will remember with affection his consistent good cheer and even temperament, linked to an impish sense of humour, youthful appearance, and mop of (mainly) blonde hair.
The Bloxham School community was richer for his contribution and is immeasurably poorer for his loss. Rest in Peace Nigel.
We invite you to share your fondest memories and photos of Nigel by emailing [email protected]