TILLEY

Brian Watchorn

 

Brian Watchorn was born on 16 July 1952 to Thomas William Stuart Watchorn (1924-2013) and Irene Hague (1923-2011). He had a happy childhood growing up with his two elder brothers Robert and Andrew. Brian loved playing in the grounds of Pisgah House, walking in Derbyshire, sharing annual family camping holidays in Great Britain and scouting with 16th Westbourne Scouts.

   

His junior school, Lydgate, was special to him as his grandfather, Herbert Hague, had helped to build it. Family members had gone there before Brian and the new Lydgate Middle School was built on the site of his great grandfather’s farm, Tapton Rise Farm.  Little did Brian know that he would spend his entire 25-year teaching career there and that his son, Edward (28 August 1988) would go there, too. 

 

After studying at King Alfred’s Teacher Training College, Winchester (1970-73), Brian worked extremely hard, gained rapid promotion and by the age of 24 was made a senior member of staff, a Year Leader and had overall responsibility for 120 children. 

 

He became involved in the National Association for Environmental Education, joined its national executive and became its Conference Treasurer. The highlight of his time with the executive was having tea with its national president, Lady Bowes-Lyon, at St Paul’s Walden Bury (her home and the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother).

 

While teaching, Brian was an active member of Sheffield's Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education, was seconded as full-time Advisory Teacher for Religious Education (one year) and ran teacher training courses but in 1988 he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and retired from teaching in 1999 through ill health.

 

Was that the end? No, only the beginning of a new chapter in his life. 

 

Brian became a trustee of MS Therapy Centre (South Yorks) Ltd. and Sheffield Shopmobility. As chairman of the MS Society’s Yorkshire Regional Committee, he brought regional committee meetings to Sheffield, a Yorkshire Regional Annual Conference and Yorkshire’s 50th Anniversary Service of Thanksgiving for the MS Society.

 

He attended Sheffield City Council cabinet meetings and asked searching questions, was asked by the Leader to serve on the Streetscene Services Advisory Panel and is still a member of the Sheffield Access Liaison Group, an advisory group to the City Council.

 

Brian’s Christian faith has always been important to him. When Moses looked out over the ‘Promised Land’ he was standing on Mount Pisgah, but for Brian, Sheffield’s the promised land and he’s spent his life serving God and his beloved city.

 

To contact Brian, click here.