FORMER Fulneck and Hanson Upper School languages teacher Tony Neasham has died, aged 73.

Born in Cromer, Norfolk, Mr Neasham, who was a Norwich City supporter, moved to Bingley aged 11 and was a pupil at Bingley Grammar School. He just missed out on a place at Cambridge University, going instead to Hull University, where he studied modern languages and met his wife Gillian (with whom he is pictured).

They married in 1966, making their home at Warren Lane in Eldwick, and Tony started his teaching career at Pudsey’s Fulneck School and Harrogate’s Ashville College before moving to Bradford, where he taught French and German at Hanson.

He also completed an MSC and PHD at the University of Bradford in the 1980s, and left Hanson to become a lecturer at Manchester University.
Mr Neasham helped many overseas students with their work and also tutored children at his Eldwick home. Latterly he was an exam invigilator at St Joseph’s College before being taken ill.

Mr and Mrs Neasham had three children – Emma, Suzanne and Richard, who were born between 1972 and 1977 – and he also leaves grandchildren Emily, Cory, Kiah and Keilen, who were born between 1999 and 2010.

He joined Bingley Congs Cricket Club in the 1970s, playing for them at both first and second-team level, including with Richard, and for their evening league team.

A right-handed batsman and left-handed bowler, he captained the second team in two stints, making a top score of 59, and also led them to Thrippleton Cup glory in 1970.

He had numerous roles at the club over the years, being, at various times, chairman, secretary, treasurer, selector, groundsman, junior manager and scorer.

Mr Neasham was a keen member of their quiz team, taking part in general knowledge and sports quizzes, at which he also won trophies.

He was privileged to have met some of the Australian cricket team in 1985 – including Allan Border – with other Congs team-mates at The Star in Bingley when they were promoting Castlemaine XXXX. As the touring party also included David Boon, who reportedly consumed 52 cans of beer on a flight from Sydney to London in 1989, it is to be hoped that the cellars were well stocked!

Mr Neasham, who also leaves younger siblings in Rachel and Trevor, died at Wingfield Court Nursing Home in Bingley, where he spent the last three weeks of his life, having been diagnosed with dementia in December 2014.

His funeral was at Mornington Road Methodist Church in Bingley. Donations were made in his memory to Dementia Friendly Keighley and Pathway Breaks.

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