Tributes paid to first head teacher at Balsall Heath school

Jul 14 2009 by Rebekah Oruye, Birmingham Mail

FAMILY and friends of Wilfred Turner, the first head teacher at Percy Shurmer Primary School, in Balsall Heath, today shared their fond memories after he died aged 93.

Mr Turner was head teacher when the school first opened 45 years ago.

His son Richard said his father was a head teacher who did not shy away from getting involved with his pupils.

“One of his frustrations as a head teacher was he became more and more of an administrator and less of a teacher.”

Mr Turner was credited with improving pupils’ reading skills at the school and also personally taught pupils how to swim and would provide trips to the countryside. Richard, who now lives in Wokingham, said his dad was a devoted family man who would be sadly missed by his family, including two sisters Hilary and Valerie and four grandchildren.

“Between him and my mother we had a great deal of stability,” he said.

Originally from Burton upon Trent, Mr Turner met his wife Joy after completing a teaching training course at Saltley College.

Richard said: “They worked as teachers at the same primary school and the headmaster thought they would make a good couple so placed them in classrooms next to each other and put them on playground duty together.”

Love blossomed in time and the duo married in 1950 and eventually settled with their three children in Erdington.

When Mr Turner took early retirement, he travelled the world with his wife and a group of other ex-teachers and enjoyed spending time in his allotment and garden. His other passions included keeping a detailed diary from the age of 10 and DIY.

Following Mrs Turner’s death seven months ago, aged 82, Mr Turner moved into St Agnes’ residential home in Erdington where staff described him as a “little bit cheeky but always polite.”

Gillian Grendan, 61, a former colleague at Percy Shurmer School, added: “Mr Turner is remembered very fondly in our minds. He was a very friendly and communicative and he always had a smile on his face.”

Mr Turner was buried on July 6 at Sutton Crematorium. His family requested any donations to be made to Cancer Research UK.