Howard Cox (Former Staff 59-72) was born in Bridlington in 1936; he remained very much a Yorkshireman through and through. The family relocated to York soon after Howard was born when his father became manager of a busy grocery store in the middle of York. They settled in the village of Bishopthorpe where Howard attended the local primary school.

During the war, his father was called up to join the RAF in 1942, so Howard and his mother moved back to stay with relatives in Bridlington. Howard was nine when the war ended and after passing the 11+ he proceeded to Nunthorpe Grammar School in York. His reports showed that he excelled in mathematics, and he had an intellectual interest in most subjects and always contributed well to class discussions with his original ideas.

As an avid reader, Howard's passion for learning and discovery was something which he took forward throughout his life. Besides his love of mathematics, his other passions were history, literature, and the arts. He was a keen sportsman especially hockey, playing in the 1st XI. He attended the parish church in Bishopthorpe so he could sing in the choir. He also enjoyed taking part in the musicals at school, and with his fine tenor voice was always welcomed by local choirs throughout his life.

Howard went on to Manchester University to read Mathematics in 1955. He took on sport as a subsidiary subject and was soon playing team hockey; this is how he met Keith (Former Staff, 62-71) and Barbara Herring, and a few years later Keith and Howard overlapped teaching mathematics at Pocklington School. In September1959, Howard had secured his first teaching post at Pocklington as a junior maths teacher. He introduced hockey to the school and in his PE role gained much enjoyment in coaching cricket, rugby and hockey sides.

In December 1965, he met his future wife, Jennifer, at a party given by Jennifer’s parents, Reggie (Former Staff, 36-74) and Joan Allen (Former Staff, 36-74) before they left Lyndhurst, the junior boarding house at the time. They married in Pocklington parish church on 21 December 1966. Sefton Cottom (Former Staff 51-90), a friend and colleague, played the organ and several school choir boys returned to sing in the choir. They had seven happy years in Pocklington before Howard secured a post as Head of Mathematics at Longsands College in St Neots. Howard and Jennifer and their young family settled happily into the village of Buckden near Huntingdon where they lived for nearly 40 years. Howard retired from teaching in 1997. He and Jennifer travelled widely in their retirement; some quite adventurous trips as well as cultural holidays. Skiing trips too were taken over the years, some with Pocklington School. Howard finally stopped skiing at the age of 80. In 2008, Howard suffered a subarachnoid haemorrhage from which he luckily recovered.

However, despite Howard’s excellent recovery, the family thought a move to be nearer one of them would be sensible whilst young enough to establish themselves.

The move to Nantwich in Cheshire in 2010 proved to have been ideal, closer to both families and the grandchildren as well as creating a new life, pursuing their many interests. Howard was invited back to the OP Summer Reunion in June 2022, having been 50 years since he had left the school. Howard had a most enjoyable day and found it interesting and impressive the way the school had developed and changed over the years.

Howard had been quite well throughout his life but, in the autumn of 2023, he had signs of heart failure, and he died suddenly and peacefully aged 87 on 21 December on his 57th wedding anniversary. He is survived by his wife, Jennifer, their three children, and four grandchildren.

(Jennifer Cox)