John Cox

Date: Thursday 10 April 2008

John Cox, Master of St Edmund's Junior School for 32 years from 1950 to 1982 has died after a short illness, on March 13th at the age of 86. The son of a tuberculosis specialist, John was brought up in Brighton, and while at Brighton, Hove & Sussex Grammar School won an Exhibition to Peterhouse, Cambridge to read History. His university career was interrupted by the war, in which he served in the Royal Artillery and took part in the advance through north-west Europe after D-Day. He returned to Cambridge to complete his degree and arrived at St Edmund's in 1948. The following year he ran the Junior School jointly with another member of staff until John assumed sole responsibility in 1950.

For the next 32 years John Cox was the Junior School. Generations of boys who passed through the school during those years will be grateful to John for the care and consideration given to them, particularly of course those clergy orphans under his charge. When he retired in 1982, a colleague wrote:"He gave the School 34 years of utterly devoted service, giving everything and asking for nothing. I have never met a more dedicated man".

In his early 60s, John left Canterbury to take up a three year teaching post in Papua New Guinea. While out there he suffered a bout of malaria but this turned to his advantage by losing his taste for pipe-smoking as a result. In his last year there he wrote to Irene Lester, who had been Matron of St Edmund's Junior School for 25 years, to ask her to marry him. She duly accepted, and at the age of 75 flew to the other side of the world to join him. Amid tropical vegetation, they took their vows in a ceremony presided over by David Hand, the Archbishop of Papua New Guinea, a friend for many years.

And so began the last phase of John's life - as the most wonderful, caring and devoted husband to a loving wife twelve years his senior. Right up to last summer, John and Irene served the local community, supporting charities in many different capacities. Well into his 80s and her 90s, they were to be seen distributing poppies as Remembrance Day approached. They made the most of their leisure time, attending concerts, plays, and cricket matches, although the latter was more to Irene's taste than John's!. Above all, they were devoted friends of the parish of St Martin and St Paul and worshipped regularly at St Paul's until late last year.

John was an extraordinary man of principle, courage and true modesty, with an unforgettable laugh, and a wide circle of friends. He was the ideal partner to Irene, who, sadly, survived him by only a matter of days. John's funeral took place at St Paul's Church on Wednesday 26th March, with a former foundationer, Roger Royle, giving a memorable and moving address. Irene's funeral will take place at the same venue on Friday April 18th, at 2.00pm.

Many thanks to Jock Asbury-Bailey for this tribute to JNC. Though I never worked in Junior School, my St Edmund's career coincided for ten years with that of John, and my memories tally almost exactly with those of Jock and all John's former colleagues. Add a ferocious 'guard dog' called Tarquin, rugged determination on the staff against pupils football field, and a pair of spectacles held together - just! - by Elastoplast, and you have just a little more of a great man.