Page 82 - The Moretonian 2025

2024 - 25
OM Obituaries
Gillian Wendy Arney née
Marchant
The name Marchant will be familiar to many at
Moreton, and it is with great sadness that we
share the news of Gill’s death at the age of 78.
A Chirk native, she was the eldest daughter of Dr.
John Marchant and his wife Joan (OM). Joan was
also Head of English at Moreton.
Gill was a friendly and outgoing girl with striking
red hair and was, at times, taught by her mother
at Moreton. She excelled at Speech and Drama
and ended up as Deputy Head Girl.
Building on her childhood love of reading, she
read English Literature at Lancaster University,
then trained as a librarian in Aberystwyth. She
met her husband Colin while working at the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and they
were married and settled in the Chilterns.
Gill was involved in many aspects of village life —
from Mums and Toddlers to creating props for
the village panto, to acting as archivist for the
local museum, serving on the Parish Council,
and endlessly volunteering in the community
she loved.
Gill was a beloved wife, devoted mum, wonderful
granny, and a true friend to many. She will be
remembered for her energy, resilience, wit, and
creativity and is greatly missed.
We invite OMs who knew her to leave a message
or share a memory or photo on her memory page:
gillarney.muchloved.com
Linda Mead née Mather
(OM 1966)
Sara Taylor (née Kemp) wrote:
Linda was at Moreton between 1957 and 1966.
She ran her own dance school in Stroud for over
40 years and only retired recently. She will be
greatly missed by all who knew her.
82 The Moretonian 2025
Emma Royle (OM 2000)
Emma passed away suddenly on 6th July 2025.
She was at Moreton from 1994 to 2000. There
will be a charity donation page in her memory
for MIND – further details to follow.
Richard Field
Jonathan Forster, former Principal, wrote the
following tribute:
I had known Richard for years – and of course
Patricia – through the Shrewsbury School
network. Everyone said he was an inspiration –
an extraordinary talent who lit up every corner
of every room he entered, whether as a teacher,
housemaster, or Registrar. When Richard decided
to leave Shrewsbury about 15 years ago,
I contacted him immediately – would he come
to Moreton and bring us his magic?
Over the next seven or eight years, both
Richard and Patricia became friends and
colleagues Patricia became one of the school’s
listening adults, confidentially and sensitively
supporting girls who needed to talk to a kind
and wise person.
Alongside Richard, she acted as a supportive
housemistress in the new International Study
Centre – no easy task, managing students so far
from home, often with very little English.
Richard was a pivotal figure, along with Nick
Bevan and Victoria Eastman, in the recruitment
of students from China.
We travelled together every year, and Richard’s
personal charm, academic pedigree – and tweed
suits – soon attracted the biggest following
among Chinese students looking for a school in
the UK.
Richard was a giant of the independent school
world, and Moreton was extremely lucky to have
him and Patricia as friends and supporters.