The history of Joe Taylor who taught pupils in Leamington for 33 years

Joe Taylor taught history at the former college between 1946 and 1979 and most recently he lived near his daughter in the Manchester area.

In an article from The Return of the Leamingtonian in July 1979, provided to the Courier by former college pupil Mike Russell, Mr Taylor said: “It would be most sad if, after more than 40 years spent in teaching, I didn’t believe I had followed a worthwhile and rewarding profession.

“I wouldn’t advise anyone to go into teaching but I have advised many students to do so in the past, who had a genuine urge to teach, who I believed had the right temperament and who had shown by their enthusiasm for school life that they had something to give teaching.”

Born in the small mining town of Crook in Durham, Mr Taylor won a history scholarship at Wolsingham Grammar School.

He went on to Birmingham University and later taught at a boarding school in Newcastle.

He joined the army early in the Second World War and was later seconded to King Edward’s School in Birmingham.

After demobilisation he joined the staff at Leamington college in January, 1946.

He had trained to teach PE as well as history and organised games lessons at the school as well as teaching French to lower school pupils and general studies to sixth formers.

Mr Taylor’s interests included politics, historical architecture, rugby and reading historical biographies.

He said of history: “History can suggest the key to modern life even if it cannot provide the solution to modern problems.”

Mr Taylor’s funeral will take place at Oakley Wood Crematorium on Friday November 29 at 2.15pm.