THE FAMILY and friends of a beloved ex-headteacher will saying a fond farewell to him later this week.

Former second master of Taunton’s School Edward Colenutt has died aged 95.

His funeral will take place at 11am on Thursday in Peartree Church in Woolston.

Remembered as a ‘Mr Chips’ character and known as Ted, he leaves three children and eight grandchildren.

The family will be gathering for his funeral and have asked any ex-students and colleagues to join them for a special send-off.

Ted was born in Southampton in 1920, the son of a docks upholsterer, and attended grammar school before heading to the University of Southampton to study geography.

Ted lived in Radstock Road, Woolston and was determined to find a well-respected career.

When the Second World War broke he joined the Hampshire regiment as a private in 1940.

Ted quickly worked his way up through the ranks and by the end of the war he was one of the youngest majors in the Royal Artillery and was mentioned in dispatches for his service fighting the Japanese in Burma.

He returned to Southampton to find a job and went back to his old school Taunton’s - which was then still in Highfield - where he was offered a job as a geography teacher and he stayed there until his retirement in 1984.

Ted married Audrey in 1948 and they lived together in Bassett for their 49 years of marriage until Audrey died in 1997.

The couple had three children, Liz who now lives in West End, Paul who lives in Auckland, New Zealand, and John who lives in Hertfordshire.

In his retirement Ted joined the Old Tauntonian’s Association and became president of the group.

His son John, said: “My father did very well for himself and was a very inspirational man. All his students loved him. When my mum died he took on all of her jobs, every year she would make marmalade so that’s what he did too.

“He was very independent and did everything himself, he lived on his own and was still driving at 94.

“He was a great husband, great dad and we could never go out anywhere without him knowing someone or an old student coming up to say hello and he would always remember everything about them.

“Lots of students remembered him because he could draw a map of the world free hand. It’s so sad that he has gone and we will miss him terribly but he had an amazing and very full life.”

• Edward 'Ted' Colenutt's funeral will take place at 11am on Thursday in Peartree Church in Woolston and his family welcome anyone who would like to come and pay their respects.