Shrine by Lissa, first grandchild
 

From John Edwards

Dear Peter and David,

Since I retired nearly three years ago I spend my time between Leicester and Llansteffan. I happened to be in Leicester when the report of your father's death appeared in the 'Leicester Mercury.' It was strange to remember that we shared the 'Red Lion House' all those years ago. (c. 1947)

Like both of my parents, he lived to be very old. You must be very proud of him and his achievements.

I have one lovely memory of him here. One November 5th, we had a Guy Fawkes' party at the top of the garden and my mother had prepared food and bonfire toffee. Your father proposed a 'vote of thanks' to her--the first I had ever heard. It must have made quite an impression on me as I can still recall it vividly.

Mareta, my partner and I had an enjoyable day with your dad and Rosemary about 18 months ago. They called one Sunday when he was on one of his visits to Trinity College. There have been a lot of changes in the Red Lion House in the last few years and your father had a great time looking round the house and reminiscing about the past. 

I am driving back to Leicester tomorrow and I will be at St. Guthlac's for the funeral service. I have written this note in case I do not get a chance to speak to you. I wanted to know that you are in my thoughts.

Sincerely, John Edwards.

Wilf strides past the Red Lion, Summer 1999

From Eric Thurston:

I first met Wilf in 1961 when he interviewed me for a place on his PGCE Mathematics course at Leicester University. I was not to know then that that day was to be a most significant one. Wilf informed me, towards the end of the course, of a job opportunity at the institution at which he was External Examiner. I got the job, which set me on a career in Maths Education. Two years later I joined Wilf at the Institute of Education, University of Ghana. Wilf’s advice, guidance and support in those early years were always given freely and were invaluable. Apart from my close family members, I owe more to Wilf than to any other person.

As a student of Wilf’s, I was constantly astonished by his encyclopaedic familiarity with maths teaching. No topic seemed to arise without Wilf having some original slant on it, or some arcane connection to make or some interesting story to tell about it. I distinctly remember thinking, somewhat morosely, that I would never have that degree of command. Even after 43 years in the business, I was right!

As one of only four students in Wilf’s group, I, and my contemporaries, received some concentrated attention from him. We got to know him quite well, especially as Wilf was a very approachable person. He invited us to his home for a tea party – not many lecturers do that – and it was there that I first met Olive. Olive and Wilf were to be especially supportive to my wife, baby son and me during some testing times in Ghana.

During my PGCE year, Wilf found out that I was the captain of the University rifle club and decided to challenge the Student team with a University Staff team. Wilf turned up with his own .22, rifle complete with telescopic sights – and we were firing over only 25 yards! It was decided to allow this over-engineered equipment but the students still won. I think it had something to do with youthful eyesight.

We remained in contact over the years, with the occasional visit, and I always looked forward to his Christmas card with its personal touch of a home-produced yet very professional line drawing.

I will miss him. Thank you, Wilf, for everything.  Eric Thurston.

From Janet Flemming-Kunc:

To Rosemary, David, Peter and your families,

My sincere condolences in your time of grief. 

Though Wilfred was my first cousin he was twenty-eight years older than me - hard to be close with such an age gap.  However, my father Fred Flemming (Wilfred's uncle) did talk often, and always in glowing terms, of his brother's son and his wife Olive. Regrettable I never got to meet my cousin in person.

"The world would be a better place if we could all live so long and achieve so much."

Sincerely, Janet Flemming-Kunc, Ottowa, Canada

The College noted with sadness the passing of Wilfred Flemming. His contribution to the life of Trinity College, Carmarthen as a member of staff and then as an Honorary Fellow, was very much appreciated.

During his period at the College, Wilfred helped to develop a sound base for training future generation of teachers of Mathematics.

The College also remembers with gratitude his generosity as a benefactor. A room in the Halliwell Centre has been named after him in honour of his contribution.

From John Hand:

Dear Peter

I was sorry to hear the news about Wilf. Thank you for your card. I am planning to attend the funeral on April 13th.

I will very much miss Wilf, he was a good friend. Cheerful and a pleasure to know. We knew each other for many years through inter-faith and the chess club. Thanks for the excellent website. It is very interesting and uplifting.

Yours sincerely

John Hand.

From Marylin Harper

Dear Peter, David and all members of your families

I am sure we met some time ago, probably in the back garden at my mother's home in Over Hulton, Bolton, home of my father, the late Roy Flemming. I also visited Wilfred and Olive at their home in Leicester several years ago when travelling the country with my husband Norman, in the days before we had  our sons, Jeremy and Tim.

I remember your father as a wonderfully warm, charming and kindly disposed gentleman. We shared a strong interest in the Christian Faith. My brother Brian, who also met Wilfred, remains an ardent mathematician with skills and abilities in that direction way beyond my own. We also remember the many Christmas cards which were drawn, always with an image of Bethlehem containing words of real wisdom.

Although we didn't know each other very well, the Flemmings having scattered across the country and the globe, I would like to pay a warm tribute to the kindly relative whose example and contribution to all humankind will be remembered with affection by all those who met and were taught by him.

Yours sincerely,

Marilyn Harper.

From Chris Ormell:

I met Wilf at a conference in the School of Education, Leicester University early in 1968. (I was at that time in the Philosophy Department at Leicester). Wilf was intrigued by my talk, we got chatting and finally adjourned to a local pub. So began a friendship which lasted for 37 years.

The following year I started putting together the Schools Council 'Maths Applicable' Project at Reading University. It was based on the idea of melding innovative imagination with maths. Wilf was an enthusiastic supporter and contributor, came to many conferences of the Project, and helped with schools which were participating in the Leicester area. From 1976 to 1978 Wilf actually became a part-time member of the Project team and hence helped greatly to keep the show on the road for its final two years.

In 1978 he and I convened the 'Maths Applicable Group' (MAG) to keep the initiatives pioneered by the project going. It lasted for 22 years until it was wound up in 2000. It held many conferences during that period, and produced books and innovative materials, but somehow it never quite managed to "take off" as a national force in maths education. As an evangeliser and publicist for the project Wilf was outstanding. By his powers of persuasion he recruited many of those who later contributed to, or simply supported, the project.

In 1993 some of us from the MAG convened the PER group, which tried to develop similar ideas across the full range of school subjects. Wilf and Rosemary soon joined the new group and supported it enthusiastically. I remember visiting Wilf and Olive in South Wales during the late summer of 1976: we shared a picnic together near the village (Llanstephan)
where they often stayed. Earlier that Summer I had taken Wilf with two other members of the project team (Charles Bentley and David Malvern) by car to Karlsruhe for the 3rd ICME (maths congress). It was all done on a shoestring. We took enough food in the boot of the car for four days and ate all our meals as picnics in the local park! Fortunately the weather was fine and we had a great time.

During the whole of the 37 years I knew him we were 'on the same wavelength about most things, and we shared both highs and lows. I admired the energy and vivacity he displayed into his 70s, 80s and even 90s. I always thought he would live to a hundred. He was a highly intelligent, warm and loyal friend.

 
From Betsy:

Courageous Olive:  When Olive was a thirty-year-old school teacher, she experienced a religious conversion after hearing a sermon on ABSOLUTE HONESTY. She decided to make a confession about something that had happened when she was a school girl. I believe it would have taken less courage to confess to a bank robbery.

Wilf and the Motorbike:  Wilf's school had a class of problem boys who thought mathematics was boring. Wilf found a way to interest the boys in this subject. A friend gave him an old motorbike. Wilf asked for volunteers to help bring it from the other side of town and the whole class volunteered. He told them he knew nothing about motorbikes, but it would be fun to take it to pieces and see if they could make it work. He didn’t even know how to take the brakes off, so the boys had to carry it all the way. From then on, every lesson was a joy to all and mathematics was found to be useful and fun. By the end of term the bike was put together and it worked. Each boy was allowed to ride the bike round the playground several times. The boys were turning sixteen and due to leave school. A number of them changed their minds and stayed on. One boy cried when his parents said he must leave, as planned.

The Little Pig:  In wartime a pig was allowed as a pet if he was fed only on scraps and was ultimately destined for the pot. The little piggy and the cat became great friends; they had a lovely game when Olive was hanging out the washing. The cat would stand by the washing line post. Piggy went to the bottom of the garden, and rushed, menacingly at the cat. The cat stayed on the ground till the very last moment, then she ran up the post in triumph. Olive wondered what would happen if the cat didn’t get away in time. She never knew because the cat was always quick enough by a hair’s breadth.

Piggy never tired of this game but sometimes Puss refused to play. Undaunted, he used Olive as a substitute cat. He went down the garden then ran at Olive with determination. Olive wondered if she was meant to climb the pole, but decided to go on pegging out the washing. Piggy modified the game. Olive was to stand stock still, no matter how menacing piggy looked. At the last moment Piggy swerved and ran round her, then looked up as if to say, "Aren’t I a clever boy?" She then tickled him behind the ears, which he loved, and this became part of the ritual. Piggy became so expert at the game that he left the final swerve till later and later– but Olive was brave enough to stand firm and he never ran into her.

Betsy

 
From Peter:

Wilf was with Trinity College just after the war when meat supplies were still rationed and hard to get. At that time the college owned a skinny old horse, much beloved by the students. It had become customary for the grounds-man to walk the horse past the dining room windows at lunch times to reassure the students that they had not eaten it.

Wilf had arranged to collect the leftovers from the college meals to give to our Pig. One day, the College served black puddings for lunch that the students decided were uneatable and Wilf ended up with three milk churns full of these to load into his old Austin 7 and trundle back to Llanybri (where we lived). He gave all these to the Pig who lapsed into an ecstatic feeding frenzy that lasted into the night. When it became physically impossible for the Pig to get any more down it’s throat, it got up and staggered off to it’s bed with a belly extended beyond belief. It turned back and tenderly picked up the remaining 3 black puddings in it’s mouth and gently laid them by the bed for future consumption. Wilf told a local farmer about this and was warned that the Pig might die because of the trauma to it’s digestive system. So, Wilf, in the middle of the night, managed to pour about 2 pints of castor oil into the Pig in the hope of saving it. Next day, we children watched from distance in case the Pig exploded. But all was well and the Pig survived to meet it’s destiny which was to appear as sides of bacon hung up in the kitchen. For a while, breakfasts of bacon & egg were tearful affairs as we all remembered the wonderful Pig.

Peter

From Chris Pass, Bass Trombone, Leicester County School of Music:

I read the obituary with surprise, and affection for a person I'd never met. I'll just say two things.

Firstly, admiration for his rise from poverty to great achievement. His story reminds me of William Walton, and in a lesser way relates to my own.

Secondly, his work in Africa was a surprise. Like Kay and I, in our different ways we served this continent, the one we love. Our paths only crossed in one place: we spent an hour at Entebbe aiport where I first smelt, and set foot on, Africa. His Africa was 2-3000 miles from ours, but I think we served her and loved her in our own ways.

A lovely man, David & Joy, and I wish I'd known him. A life to celebrate, not to mourn.

He was involved in something important in my life. He was a co-founder of the Friends of the Leicester County School of Music. This wonderful organization supported kids like me, taking us out of the back streets and into a world of musical joy, opening new horizons. 

It changed my life. David, you know that. For that reason I'll be at the funeral, wearing my Leicester County School of Music badge in salute.

Farewell and thanks to the Flemming generation that gave so much to us.

Chris Pass

From David:

Percy the pig was as just as much a part of the family as Mac the dog. We remember our mother, Olive, trying to control the pig's wandering by grabbing it by one ear and the tail. The pig was too strong and just walked round and round, taking Olive with her. 

But our main source of meat was rabbit. Wilf bought a .22 Winchester bolt action rifle from a gun shop in Wigan. I asked him what it was and he said, "Daddy's new walking stick." I was not convinced. We would drive around the farms in Wales looking for rabbits, then stop the car, take aim and bag one or two. Wilf got to be quite a good shot. Mac would, if allowed, dash towards the remaining rabbits and destroy whatever chance we had of bagging any more. We skinned them, dissected out their innards, including uterus and embryos when present, then hang the rabbits for a while and make stew.

Wilf and Peter wandered too near to a cow with calf on one occasion. The cow charged and tossed Peter into the air, breaking his arm. Peter has enjoyed eating beef ever since. Revenge is sweet.

David and Olive Jr.

From Olga Williams:

I managed eventually to get to the web site. It makes very interesting reading - I knew Wilf had worked in Egypt and Africa but was not aware of the great respect with which he was held, nor of who asked him to teach others in the way the site explained, and to think that such an intelligentperson once or twice came for a dog walk down Hanham Lane! 

I am glad I knew Wilf, and Olive for a short while. Can't remember what the occasion was butwe were all at a street party in Laurel Drive, arranged by Hilda with an accordian player present, and Olive and I danced the length of the road and back!

I enjoyed reading Olive's Eulogy.

Olga

From Bill Newton:

The Flemming family entered my life in the early 1950’s when on Wilf’s move to Leicester University College, David started at Avenue Road School. Our homes were very close to each other at this time so we soon become friends and I was invited to their home in Howard Road. From then on David’s parents played a significant role in my life, from their interest in my education, opening up new worlds and showing how doors could be opened, through to Olive who could fry excellent chips. Through our school days we remained friends and both Wilf and Olive supported me in my schooling and eventual choice of career. As an aside I do have to recollect on his taste for the slightly exotic in cars from an ancient Shooting Brake to Daimler via a large pinkish saloon which I believe had belonged to the Headmistress of Wyggeston Girls School!

It would be enough to thank them both for my career in teaching. It has been hugely enjoyable and rewarding.

BUT there is more!

Wilf’s cousin Jessie, seen in the wedding group as bridesmaid, was also a regular visitor with her family to the Flemming home on their way to and from Lancashire and they had a daughter, Janet, whom I meet, fell in love with and married in 1972. So my family are now part of the extended Flemming household.

Later in his long life Wilf took an interest in painting and whenever I called in I was always asked as an art teacher to give a critique. His work was always interesting and whilst highly representational always had a slightly surreal edge taking the form of a visually memorable but random snapshot. This was typical of his original if slightly idiosyncratic view on life.

Sadly I shall not be able to attend the Funeral Service, as I shall be in France with a school trip, the last before I retire in July. But I shall be thinking of you all even though I shall be part of the busy schedule in Bayeaux that day.

By the way Olive taught my Mother the art of frying chips!

From Richard Champness:

Like so many others privileged to know him during his long and fruitful life, I feel a real sense of personal loss on the death of Wilf Flemming.

During the 15 or so years in which we were neighbours, I came to regard him not only as a dear friend, but also as man of great compassion, wisdom and love of life in all its fullness. He was always a joy to talk to, blending a deep spirituality with an intellect, and understanding of human nature beyond compare.

On the pretext of discussing the local Neighbourhood Watch Scheme we chatted in confidence, as ‘tho related, for hours about politics, religion, philosophy, education, relationships, and matters of personal interest and concern. Despite his remarkable lifetime achievements, academic brilliance and wide range of interests, Wilf always made me feel welcome and at ease. He was, in retrospect my tutor, counselor, mentor and spiritual director at a time when many men of his age would have been content to lose interest in the outside world.

But not so Wilf, who, until recently, seemed to have the physical strength and vigour of a 60 year old! As recently as 5 years ago he calmly announced to me that he intended to prune a hedge along the full width of his back garden that was almost out of control, and a good 15 feet in height – on his own! When I enquired how he intended to do this, he produced a vicious looking chainsaw and a pair of rather unsteady stepladders. Fearing a nasty accident I begged him to let me help him, but he merely thanked me politely for my concern for his welfare and then set off to tackle the task as ‘tho it was no more a challenge to him than pulling up a few weeds!

Although I and my Wife moved away from Leicester to be nearer to our Son and his family in the North West at the end of 2002, Wilf and I maintained contact with each other by ‘phone. When I knew that his time on this earth was short, I was able to visit him at Pilgrim Homes to say "farewell", to be met as always with a heart-warming smile, a cheery wave of the hand despite obvious weakness, and a quite extraordinary peace of mind. To the end Wilf was a living testimony of the Christian faith that motivated and sustained him through his long and wonderful life both in this country and abroad. My memories of him are both an encouragement and a challenge to do likewise

Richard Champness, April 11, 2005

From Tim and Suithathai Bentley

We were sad to hear about the death of Wilf. We knew him as a sincere and most engaging friend of the family. He particularly made my wife feel most welcome when we first married, some five and a half years ago.

Unfortunately, we will not be able to attend the funeral, but our thoughts are with all of his family at this time. 

Tim and Suithathai Bently

From Ian Flemming:

Hi Everybody:

 I was very fortunate to meet Wilfred on a number of occasions at family gatherings the first time was approximately 15 years ago I was carrying out further re-search for my book on the Flemming genealogical history which has recently been published, my memories are still vivid.

What a lovely, lovely man. Caring, interesting and interested especially in other people. He gave me great moral support in terms of writing the book by comparing his own efforts on his book in mathematics, he visited me on a number of occasions here at Hillcrest in Leyland even though the journey was tiring for him. We even had discussions on education and I think he was genuinely pleased that I myself had gained a MSc and Diploma in Management Sciences such was the level of Wilfred's interest in all around him.

I tried on a number of occasions to contact him from January 05 to present him with a personnel copy of the book but alas it was not to be.

I was so sad to hear of his passing, but I also felt from what he had told me that 'he was ready' (in his words). The web site detail is excellent and summarizes the man and indeed his good and great contribution to the world.

 I am a Lead Assessor for Lloyds of London although I work from home and as such my diary is extensive being firmly booked for six months in advance with business commitments. I am in practice in Wales at the time of the funeral with one of my many clients and as such unable to attend. I will quietly say a pray for him on that day and be thinking of you all.

Please pass all my regards and condolences to your immediate families.

Wilfred was, is a lovely, caring man.

God bless.

Ian Flemming, Leyland, Lancashire. 01772 622753.

From Mark and Lyn Ritchie:

Both,

We were very sad to hear from you of Wilfred's passing, on our return from holiday yesterday evening. I have much to thank him for during my days at Leicester University, and was grateful to be able to get to speak to him earlier this yeaxr.

Unfortunately, we are unable to attend the funeral service, but wish you well for the day, and send you our deepest condolences.

Regards,

Mark and Lyn Ritchie

Wilf's car in the Pilgrim Home, February 2005
Grocot Road
Evington
Leicester, LE5 6AB

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