Bill Parker, legend teacher at St Leonard’s the n Durham. RIP.



Sad news - I was at Leonard’s from 1994 to 2001 so knew him well, albeit not via rowing.

Used to see him cycling along the riverbanks often when I walked the dog in later years, will be missed.
 
martinlumley said:
Aye thought so. We were in Dennis Creegans art class when he had a heart attack, ran along to Mr Graham's class for help, barged through the door, Mr G shouted, 'get out and knock' , tried again, ' get out and knock', so we waited until he came to the door. 'please sir, we think Mr Creegans dying' did the trick.😀
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Me and him didn't get along too well, he told my mother I was a clown. She didn't take well to that. He was probably right, to be fair.
 
martinlumley said:
Aye thought so. We were in Dennis Creegans art class when he had a heart attack, ran along to Mr Graham's class for help, barged through the door, Mr G shouted, 'get out and knock' , tried again, ' get out and knock', so we waited until he came to the door. 'please sir, we think Mr Creegans dying' did the trick.😀
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Sounds like he is/was an idiot tbf.
 
Aww rip Mr Parker the bairn and his late dad both went to Leonard’s, bairn was always the cox through all the training and early cold foggy Saturday mornings until competition time then he suddenly wasn’t needed 😡 we’re not bitter though 😉

Very Sad news, sleep in heavenly peace Mr Parker 💐
 
Leonard's was considered quite posh when I went to Fram.
There's one person on here at least who was in a Fram rowing team with me purely cos we had a chemistry teacher briefly who was into it.

Somehow he accumulated a right bunch of rag tags. It was like Cool Runnings.

We had a brief moment of glory at Durham Regatta winning a cup.....until we discovered the opposition were years younger than us, otherwise it would have been a movie smash.

BELL. what say you @Jonny
Fram was always better.
@johnny remember the days when it was battle of flass vale? i think we were weeny uns. would go over the hill and occasionally firebomb the posh with snowballs. I remember the school being closed due to snow. I also can recall a very early memory of it being 50 lads vs 50 lads
 
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martinlumley said:
Aye thought so. We were in Dennis Creegans art class when he had a heart attack, ran along to Mr Graham's class for help, barged through the door, Mr G shouted, 'get out and knock' , tried again, ' get out and knock', so we waited until he came to the door. 'please sir, we think Mr Creegans dying' did the trick.😀
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Tbf I wouldn't have run anywhere if I'd seen Creegan having a heart attack.

Is that Billy Eyres at the back in the photo next to Bill Parker?
 
Anybody work out which one @Hair Flick is in the photo? Easy really.
I don't think you're in this photo @Billy Fish? Could be wrong?

Got plenty of other photos of you, including one with us with the FA cup in 73.
 
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Good thread about an inspirational teacher , he would have been pleased as punch to be reading these kind words so many years later.

That sort of teacher must have given our school a wide berth , we were taught by a combination of dullards and bullies who’s names now escape me.

Those who were taught by him be very thankful.
 

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