DOUGLAS Kenneth Peacock, of 8, Croft Road, Evesham, died in Worcester Hospital last week, aged 89. The funeral took place last Wednesday at All Saints Church, Evesham. He will be remembered by generations of pupils and colleagues of Prince Henry's School with affection, admiration and respect.

He was born in Bristol in 1913, gained a scholarship to Queen Elizabeth's Hospital where he became Captain of School. He later won a place at Bristol University to read physics and won his colours for both rugby and cricket.

He then entered the teaching profession, first at Leighton Buzzard and later at the Sir George Monoux School in Walthamstow where he became head of science and in his spare time principal of Loughton Evening Institute.

This was interrupted when he was seconded by the Government to train service men and women in the new technology of radar. He came to Prince Henry's Grammar School as deputy head in 1959 under two headmasters, Jack Miller and later, Stanley English, until his retirement in 1978.

A colleague at the time wrote: "Ken was for many of us the ideal senior colleague - wise and strong enough or us to gave complete confidence in him, yet human and unassuming enough for us to regard him as one of ourselves.

"He had dignity without a hint of pomposity, humour without vulgarity, strength without violence. We all knew we could rely on him implicitly, and he was always generous with his support."

For many years he was a committee member of the Evesham Arts Association and Evesham Music Club giving generously, as always, of his expertise in the lighting box both in the theatre and in the school.

His interest ranged over sport (both as a player and as a spectator), music, drama, walking with school parties and Evesham Ramblers' Club and after retirement the Evesham Probus Club.

He married his wife Olive in Bristol in 1939 and they celebrated their diamond wedding three years ago. There were six children in the family, 11 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.