Cunningham, Peter

Teacher - History & R E - Sep 1949 to Dec 1962

This appears also in The Gazette No 45.

Another Ottershaw staff stalwart has passed away. This time the news - of Peter Cunningham's death in late August last year caused less surprise, since, as many readers will know, Peter had been bedridden for sometime. I shall repeat for him the second paragraph of my appreciation of Ralph White, written for the Gazette only a few months ago from September last year. When Denys Hall and I arrived at Ottershaw in September 1951, Peter was one of the established masters, a magnificent set of men who had served throughout the war, and who, under Arthur Foot's inspiring leadership, devoted themselves to the school in a way which guaranteed its success throughout the years. Sadly there are now even fewer of them still left. Peter, I think, took his degree in history at Cambridge. After his war service he had, I believe, taught for some years at St. John's School in Leatherhead, and was already married with a young son and daughter when he came to Ottershaw. One of the things I remember particularly about him was his upright and soldierly figure. I can well imagine his Company Sergeant Major pointing him out to new recruits as a fine example of correct posture.

Peter was a great believer in Rugger and Cricket, particularly the former, as 'character-builders' for boys. It was his devotion and enthusiasm which produced the high standard Of Ottershaw Rugby from the early days, nurturing a future captain of the British Lions and many other fine players. He helped to breed the combination of physical courage, high morale and a respect for fair play which characterised so many of the early pupils of Ottershaw. In his eyes Rugby taught you many things: I remember his saying that one of the best lessons a young lad could learn was to be tackled hard and painfully on the Rugby field, and to find that no one because play had passed on to another quarter of the field  took any notice of him at all until he forgot his hurts, picked himself up and joined in the game again, with no doting mother to fuss over him.

All fit members of Staff were roped in to provide opposition in practice games for the First XV, even if, like myself, you had never played the game before. My first term was the last time the Staff took on the First XV in a proper match twelve  of us out of a total of only thirteen masters, augmented by three chaps from Ottershaw village, played. Tackling Campbell-Lamerton, known merely as Lamerton, because Arthur Foot refused to allow double-barrelled names, which he considered snobbery, in full flight was quite a daunting experience!

When Robey Johnson became officially Second Master, and retired from being Housemaster of East House, Peter Cunningham took over the House. If my memory serves me correctly, it was then for the first time, apart of course from West House, that quarters were set aside in the mansion for a Housemaster and his family. Not long after this Peter left us to become Headmaster at Bearwood College, a former Merchant Navy school. His association with Ottershaw, however, continued. We regularly played School matches against Bearwood, and in the summer holidays some of us, having enjoyed our own Staff cricket week, asked to play in matches for or against Peter?s Bearwood Staff team.

My last meeting with Peter was at Dennis Williams dinner a couple of years or more ago, when he seemed very much his old self, though I have spoken to him over the telephone a number of times since. Those of us, both boys and Staff, who knew him will remember him as a good friend and a good schoolmaster. 

TOM WESTON