Charles Gordon Washington MBE: – [Heath 1939–1944]

Gordon Washington was born in 1928 and attended Heath Grammar School between 1939–44. He started work with the Westminster Bank in Halifax and moved around the country.

He leaves his wife Eileen at their family home in Wrea Green near Lytham.

He is the brother of Geoffrey Washington, another Old Boy, who died a few years ago.

John Geoffrey Washington: – [Heath 1936–1941]

Geoffrey died on 24 August 2007 aged 82 years at the Calderdale Royal Hospital after a short illness, courageously borne.

His parents left Halifax for Sowerby Bridge where both he and his younger brother Charles Gordon were born, before returning to Halifax in 1930.

On leaving Heath School Geoffrey worked in the Pathology Department of the Halifax Infirmary for a short time until he realised that he required degree status, which he achieved with a London University B.Sc. He started teaching Chemistry and Physics at the Modern School — Clare Hall, now Halifax High — and then left to join the Halifax Corporation Water Board as an analytical chemist. He later returned to teaching as a lecturer at the Percival Whitley College before furthering and ending his career as a Principal Lecturer at Huddersfield Polytechnic where he gained a Masters degree in Chemistry — again from London University.

Geoffrey and his wife Margaret celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary in year 2000 along with their two children Ruth and Timothy — Timothy also being a Heathen.

Although retired, his energy was unending, especially in his pursuit of photography when he became a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society. He also acted as a Tourist Guide for Halifax, was Secretary of the Calderdale Guides Association and a long-standing member of the Halifax Antiquarian Society. He also enjoyed researching and writing various papers, in particular the History of Peoples Park, Halifax hospitals and workhouses. Many local groups listened with pleasure to his historical talks on Halifax. He really was a keen historian with a passion for his home town Halifax.

Gordon Washington

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