We are sad to report that former RHS classics teacher Jock “Badger” Dewar has died.
Jock taught at the school from 1957 to 1987 and in addition to teaching Latin, was head coach for the school’s rugby teams.
After retiring Jock kept in touch with the school through the Edinburgh FP club, attending the Annual Dinners of the Edinburgh and London FP clubs and also class reunions.
This article from the Scotsman written in 2008 details more about Jock’s time coaching. https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle-2-15039/jock-s-had-a-royal-time-with-school-rugby-teams-1-1249404 .
Thank you for publishing the articles about Jock Dewar, aka The Badger. Definitely one of the good guys and I am glad he was granted a long life. He taught me Latin for several years. Even more important were his lectures on military strategy which would sometimes last the whole period. At least once we managed to keep him going past the bell and the whole of a double period was devoted to his lecture on strategy. So much more interesting than Latin, and probably of more use to me over the years. If I remember correctly he was a sergeant in Military Intelligence in Palestine after the war. He said that he a card that told everyone, regardless of rank, that they should cooperate with him so he had more power than the average sergeant. One of his colleagues was gunned down on his doorstep after a newspaper published his name. The Badger blamed the Irgun a Zionist militant group. He was very upset when their leader Menachem Begin joined the Israeli government in 1967. Of course none of his pupils had head of Begin.
Although I got a B in Higher Latin I think I can say it’s been of zero use to me in the course of my life but the Badger’s lectures have stayed with me.
Of more use was the teaching of the lunatics in the Science department which set me off on my career in chemistry. Sadly, most of their experiments like hydrogen oxygen explosions would be banned these days.
I’m still working in chemistry reviewing new drug applications for the US Food and Drug Administration but that’s another story.
George Lunn (1963-68)