A FORMER Malvern College headmaster, described as "one of the great headmasters of the 20th Century", has died at the age of 92.

Donald Lindsay CBE, who was head from 1953 to 1971, passed away at Malvern's Court House Nursing Home in the early hours of Thursday, November 14.

Born on September 27, 1910, he was educated at Clifton and Trinity College, Oxford. He taught at Manchester Grammar School and Repton College, before becoming headmaster of Portsmouth Grammar School in 1942.

When the school was bombed during Second World War, Mr Lindsay supervised the move to Bournemouth, where the school remained until the war ended.

Appointed head of Malvern College in 1953, he was given the task of rebuilding the school's reputation after the disruption of the war years, when college staff and pupils were moved to Harrow School while the Government used its buildings for defence purposes.

Mr Lindsay was also head during the college's centenary year and showed the Queen Mother around the grounds during her visit in 1965.

Former deputy headmaster John Blackshaw, now secretary of the Malvernian Society, said Mr Lindsay had really put Malvern College on the map after the war.

"Apart from his leadership here in giving the school a fresh start after the Second World War, he became chairman of the Headmasters' Conference and was widely respected throughout the academic world," said Mr Blackshaw.

"He was arguably one of the great headmasters of the 20th Century."

Mr Lindsay's funeral was due to take place yesterday (Thursday). A service of thanksgiving for his life takes place at Malvern College chapel in the New Year.