Hon OW & Head of Wycliffe College 1967 - 1980
It is with great sadness that we announce that Richard Roberts, fourth Head of Wycliffe College from 1967 to 1980, sadly died after a brief illness on 15th February, aged 89 years.
Mr. Richard Roberts came to Wycliffe in September 1967 from The King’s School, Canterbury where he had been a Housemaster for the previous ten years and Head of the Modern Languages Department. He was an Honorary Scholar of Jesus College, Cambridge, from which he graduated with a first class in Modern and Mediaeval Languages. As a member of a famous rowing College, he rowed in the Head of the River crew and in the semi-final of the Grand Challenge Cup at Henley.
Upon those he met when he joined Wycliffe, there was an immediate impact of friendliness, forthrightness and determination. In a remarkably short time Richard had got to grips with administrative details and with the endless variety of problems that confront a Headmaster. He had a tremendous capacity for work and was always ready to carry the extra burdens that others were reluctant to shoulder, and always carried them well. He supported with enthusiasm the many and varied extra-curricular activities. He encouraged teams at all levels and found time to visit remote camps and night exercises.
By thus devoting himself wholeheartedly to the life of the School he came to know his pupils very well and had an intimate understanding of their aspirations and problems.
He developed a successful blend of tolerance and discipline, insisting always on the highest standards but at the same time recognising that times were changing and that changes were needed also within the school. During these years senior pupils had had their freedom of movement enlarged, more study bedrooms were provided in place of dormitories, considerable concessions made in the wearing of casual clothes after scheduled school hours and girls admitted at sixth form level.
He felt that music making should be more widely practised and strongly encouraged Mr. Garry Jones in the formation of no fewer than three bands so that in his last term in July 1980 one third of the school had been actively performing and he also oversaw the considerable new Music School development.
In regular Staff Meetings he left staff in no doubt of his determination to maintain academic standards and to encourage all pupils to make their best possible contribution.
He was a man of firm faith and in his addresses in Chapel he stressed our obligations to each other as part of a community. In particular he derived strength and happiness from the combined services with the Junior School and from the Carol Service at Christmas.
On leaving Wycliffe, Richard became Head at King Edward’s, Witley. He and Wendy then enjoyed a long retirement in Suffolk, with local activities, some part-time supply teaching in earlier years, a lot of sailing and some writing. When he wrote to The Wycliffian Society in the Autumn last term, he counted himself extremely fortunate in all this.
Wendy became a very proficient bookbinder and restorer when she and Richard were in Surrey in the 1980s and Wendy continues with this when not gardening and running the household.
In Easter 2020, Richard published a book on sailing. By his own admission, not the easiest time to launch a book but he was keen “that a few OWs of the 1967-80 vintage might want to read it either because they have an interest in sailing or remember a boat parked outside the HM’s house and wondered what he got up to then and since.”
Over the intervening years, there were occasional returns to Wycliffe; for Carol Services, Speech Days, and, sadly some funeral or memorial services, were nostalgic experiences.
Richard is survived by his wife Wendy, his three sons, Jamie, Ralph and Don who were at the Junior School (as Wycliffe Prep School was then known), nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this very sad time.
The funeral service is being held at St Bartholomew’s, Orford on Friday 5th March at 11am, close family only. Donations can be made to: Farms for City Children or St Bartholomew’s Church, Orford. Farms for City Children is a charity set up by the author Michael Morpurgo. Michael was a pupil of Richard’s from when he taught at King’s Caterbury.
Funeral Directors: E B Button and Sons, 24 St John’s Street, Woodbridge, Suffolk.
If you would like to send your condolences to the family, the address to write to is:
Mrs Wendy Roberts and Family, Smithy Cottage, 29 High Street, Orford, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 2NW
(Excerpts taken from The Wycliffe Star, 1980, tribute written by Mr K Wilden-Hart)
OWs may be interested to listen this recorded interview that Richard gave about 13 years ago, in which he talks about Wycliffe starting at about 1 hour into the interview:
https://aldeburghoralhistory.weebly.com/richard-roberts.html
