A FORMER headteacher who taught generations of the same families in his home town has passed away peacefully, at the age of 93.

Jack Grieveson often found himself teaching the children and grandchildren of former pupils at Rosa Street Primary School, in Spennymoor.

His son Brian said: “He couldn’t walk through town without someone stopping him to reminisce.

“Even I had the privilege of being caned by him for fighting in the school yard.

“I think all who knew him considered him an honourable man, with a great sense of duty.

“He was very much a family man, the patriarch of the family and supported family and friends in hard times.”

Mr Grieveson was born in Craddock Street, Spennymoor, in 1921, and was one of five surviving children.

He was a pupil at Alderman Wraith Grammar School where he was a contemporary of leading neurologist Lord John Walton of Detchant; Sir Percy Cradock, a former ambassador to Beijing and Joe Prest, another former Spennymoor headteacher.

For a short while he worked for Durham County Council’s education department then at the start of the Second World War he volunteered with the Royal Navy.

He became a Lieutenant in the Fleet Air Arm and saw active service in the North Sea and was on a raid that damaged the German ship Tirpitz.

After the war he trained as a teacher and married his wife Elsie in the town's Presbyterian Church, in Weardale Street, in 1946.

He took up his first teaching post at Rosa Street School when it was a mixed junior, infant and senior school and was transferred to Spennymoor West Modern School where he taught mostly art and history before he returned to Rosa Street as headteacher. During his career he was heavily involved in county schools football and athletics.

He retired at 62 and enjoyed spending more time with his family, including his two grandchildren, and fly-fishing.

Mr Grieveson was a lifelong member of the NUT teachers’ union and was its local secretary for some time.

He was also a member of the famous Spennymoor Settlement art club and completed a full time art course at Canterbury College.

He lived in Kirk Merrington but was a resident at Tenlands Care Home, in Ferryhill, at the time of his passing on Tuesday, December 30.

His funeral was held at Wear Valley Crematorium, Coundon, today.