Tributes paid to former school master
We are very sad to have to announce the death of Mr Harry Stanley, who died on January 5.
Harry, who was an Oxfordshire boy, came to North Wales after studying at Loughborough College and completing his National Service. He began his long teaching career at the school in 1962.
He was what used to be called a woodwork teacher in the days before the title Design Technology had been thought up and his domain ‘the woodwork shop’ existed in the bowels of the Costain building where Biology is currently housed. There Harry taught generations of students the skills of woodworking and also passed on the benefit of his talents to members of staff in the days before people popped out to IKEA to buy their bookcases.
His workshop was not limited to wooden products and one former colleague recalls that when he arrived at the school he discovered that Harry had just completed a student project to build a working hovercraft the size of a car!
Harry was a keen sportsman and at school was in charge of coaching tennis for many years. With his great height he was also the lynchpin of the staff basketball team! Outside of school he enjoyed shooting game at Bodorgan on Anglesey with other colleagues and also kept sheep on the Heights.
He met his wife Mary whilst teaching at the school and as House Master ran a girls’ boarding house, Heathfield, where his quirky sense of humour made it a very happy place to be. He had a great love of dogs and his labradors were constant companions throughout his life.
After his retirement Harry continued his close links with the school and was a great supporter at many functions organized for Old Rydalians. As a long standing member of Colwyn Bay Rotary Club he also helped out with mock interviews for sixth formers prior to their university interviews.
Harry’s legacy can be seen today not only in the many items of furniture which still grace the premises and in the Design Technology building on Combermere Road, which he and his colleague Rick Maple ensured was completed, but also and especially in the memories of colleagues and pupils who benefitted for many decades from his knowledge and wisdom and care - Nick Sissons, Chaplain.