Obituaries William ‘Eric’ Reeve (36-45) Born 28 November 1927, died 27 January 2016, aged 88
William ‘Bill’ GR Weeks (35-44) Born 3 May 1927, died 26 January 2016,
Eric was at the RGS along with his brothers Geoff (35-42) and Brian (3848). They were all evacuated to Penrith, and Eric is pictured here with other evacuees (front, middle with pens in pocket). This spell of four years led him to his great love of the Lakes and resulted in a strong bond forged with both the school and his contemporaries. He was christened ‘Bla’ by his fellow schoolmates when he trapped his finger in a classroom door and the noise he made was said to be heard at the other end of the school! The name stuck and inevitably his brother Brian became known as ‘Titch Bla’, eventually shortened to ‘Titch’. He often told the tale of when out cycling near Penrith he came across a full milk churn by the road. Eric (always fond of his grub) buried his head in the churn to sample the milk, lifted his head to draw breath only to find a furious farmer who chased him off with the cry of, “Bloody little evacuee!” He was thrilled to attend the reunion of fellow evacuees and catch up on old times. After school Eric did National Service in India and was commissioned in Bangalore in 1946, thoroughly enjoying the army and the experience of India. He returned to study at Newcastle dental school, qualifying in 1953 and
worked in London for a period before marrying Sally and returning back to the North East to raise his family. He practised locally, including a spell with Howard Gale (35-43) until setting up his own practice where he worked until his retirement in 1987. Sally and Eric moved to Bamburgh in 1990 where they enjoyed the Northumberland coast with their many friends there. They were keen members of Bamburgh Golf Club, and Eric was a regular member of ‘Dad’s Army’, a group of fellow retirees who would turn out, rain or shine. Rugby was the thread that ran throughout Eric’s life. It instilled in him a love of the commitment, camaraderie and the traditions that make rugby so unique at RGS. He was thrilled with the atmosphere and sense of occasion at the Falcons last season watching the RGS victory over Durham. Eric played at school, Old Novos and for Northumberland, often with Cambridge Blue and England trialist brother Brian. He became President of Novos RFC in 1969 during their transition to an open club. He also won two County Cups with Medicals, and served on the county committee for many years. J Colin Peacock (53-61) recalled, “I would like to acknowledge what a delightful man your Dad was, and very much part of my formative years at Novos. We dragged him out of retirement in his forties to play for the thirds until unfortunately his rampant enthusiasm induced a career-ending hernia!” Eric was a dedicated supporter of the school, with the ONA and other school publications read with enthusiasm, as was any mention of the RGS in local media. He often attended the annual address, and was a long-term bursary supporter. Grandson James is still at the school and William (05-15) left last year. By David Reeve
16
aged 88
Bill Weeks made no particular mark at school, but he certainly enjoyed his time there, especially the evacuation years in Penrith, on which he looked back on as some of the happiest of his life, attending most of the ON reunions, though not the very last one. His step-father was JR Heslop (191115), a chartered accountant. Bill subsequently became a director of the family firm, Petties Ltd, a ladies’ hairdresser in Northumberland Street, Newcastle. On leaving school, Bill gained a BSc in Agriculture at King’s College, returning there soon afterwards as a lecturer in Agriculture and Economics and remaining there until his retirement. It was soon realised that Bill was one of those men who possessed a booming voice, an opinion on everything, and the courage of his convictions, so he became a familiar figure in the local media, a forthright pundit on food production and farming, featuring on such productions as Farming Outlook (Tyne Tees) and Channel 4’s Good Food Show. He was much in demand for an instant quote on any subject. “Bread, beef and beer are what sustains an Englishman.” For some years he was a member of Newcastle City Council, and later, after retiring from Jesmond to Seahouses, he continued his public life as a local councillor. One of his great enthusiasms was the North of England Steam Traction Engine Society, which he was a founder member, and he was a pioneer of the Newcastle Summer Exhibition.
