Robin Brooksbank-Pearcy (SH 57-60) sent in the following appreciation:

“I was very saddened to hear of the untimely death of David Henderson. My memories of David are very vivid. He was a tall gentleman and always nicely turned out in front of his pupils. He was affectionately known as ‘Big Bill’ Henderson and was respected and liked by all, even ‘Cocky’ Wykes, our Headmaster at the time. Before the construction of The Whitelaw Building, there used to be wooden huts on that site which were used as classrooms. ‘Big Bill’ used to teach us lads there where we used to freeze in winter even with the old-style coke fire burning.

He always sat at his desk and blackboard with the cane in view nearby (unheard of these days in mamby-pamby Britain!). He didn’t have to use the cane very often because ‘Big Bill’ ruled by respect, not fear. His lessons were interesting and full of humour. At the start of term, ‘Big Bill’ called an amnesty on School House. He would give you the chance to hand over your cigarettes and if you didn’t and were caught, you got a caning - just three strokes, which wouldn’t hurt a mouse! He was straight and fair and was one of the best blokes I have ever met in life.

R.I.P. David. You will be sadly missed and never forgotten for the right reasons.”

The St. Beghian Society,
St. Bees School, St. Bees, Cumbria, CA27 0DS
Tel: 01946 828093
osb@st-bees-school.co.uk