A RETIRED headteacher who was much-loved and respected in the community of Helston and Wendron has died at the age of 82.

Anthony John Treseder Rule – known to all as Tony – passed away at Blackwood House care home in Camborne on Saturday, August 24. He is well known in Helston, where he taught from 1964, before spending 27 years as headteacher of Wendron School.

Tony’s funeral will be held at Treswithian Downs Crematorium, Camborne this Thursday (September 12) at 11am, where donations can be made to Alzheimer’s Research UK via the retiring collection.

The funeral cortege will pass through Coinagehall Street in Helston at around 10.10am on Thursday, for anyone wishing to pay their final respects.

Tony was born on July 8, 1942 to Charles and Enid, and grew up, along with his younger brother Arthur, in Falmouth - as did his wife Mary, who he married in 1965.

His family lived at Goldenbank, with his father a boiler maker at Falmouth Docks.

Growing up during the Second World War, Tony’s first memory was of the Luftwaffe bombing the adjacent fuel store at Swanvale, exactly a week before D-Day. Young Tony told his mum “Oh look...dirt!”, as the fire raged for some time.

Tony’s desire to teach started when he was around 14 years old, and he sometimes spoke of his gratitude for missing out on National Service by one year, as he felt that would have got in the way of his calling.

When Tony headed off to Westminster and Avery Hill colleges in 1961, to learn his teaching trade, he and Mary were already engaged – having met at a local youth club party at Budock Village Hall a year earlier.

Tony took up a job at St Michael’s Primary in Helston in 1964, before going on to become deputy head at nearby Nansloe Primary, where he stayed until 1969.

Tony and Mary were married in April 1965 at Budock Church and the couple moved to Helston, setting up home in what was then the new Gwealdues estate.

Tony and Mary on their wedding day in 1965 (Image: Family picture)

The couple threw themselves into ‘Helston life’, becoming closely involved with St Michael’s Church (Tony was churchwarden there twice) and, latterly, Helston Methodist Church.

Tony was one of the founders of the Helston & District Footpath Society, which still runs today, and remained honorary president until his death. This group pioneered conservation work around Loe Pool long before the recent involvement of the National Trust.

Flora Day inevitably came to be a significant part of Tony and Mary’s life. One (in)famous day occurred in 1968, when the heavens opened – all the children were soaked, and one of the stewards said to the children ‘You can go home if you like’.

This had not been signed off by the school staff however, resulting in Tony and his colleagues spending a stressful rest of the day checking that every child was safely accounted for. Tony continued to recall this on Flora Days well beyond 2010!

The year 1981 proved another memorable Flora Day, when Tony and Mary danced the Midday Dance, and their three sons all danced in the Children’s Dance – a Flora full house.

In 1969, Tony accepted the role of headteacher at Wendron C of E school, becoming, at 27, the youngest headteacher in Cornwall at the time.

This meant that when Tony retired in 1996, aged 54, he had spent half of his life in that role - and possibly explains why so many local people still regard ‘Mr Rule’ as being synonymous with ‘Wendron School’.

To this day, the family regularly hears from former colleagues and pupils of the positive impact he had on their lives through his work there.

Tony retired from Wendron School in 1996, and in his final years there became heavily involved with the White Cross Mission to Romania, directly helping some of the most disadvantaged children in Europe.

Before he left, he also set in motion a project that would ultimately see the school move across the road to a new, purpose-built site seven years later, in 2003, under the headship of his successor, Lesley Pitchford.

After leaving Wendron, he spent 12 years working alongside Exeter University as a well-regarded and approachable trainer of new teachers, passing on his experience to a new generation.

Tony even found time to relish a late second career gardening for local people, through which he developed many significant and lasting friendships.

The day-to-day pressure was off though, and Tony and Mary were able to enjoy the arrival of a clutch of granddaughters, who they always delighted in.

Foreign holidays were also enjoyed, including to Romania to see first-hand the work of the White Cross.

Tony rekindled his passion for Cornwall’s mining heritage, as a committee member of Carn Brea Mining Society, and joined Treverva Male Voice Choir, which included a tour to New Zealand in around 2007.

Tony experienced his share of personal sadness and difficulties, not least losing his mother when he was 29. In such situations, he bore things with a quiet resolve and a strong Christian faith, which, although not openly demonstrative, was very real. This gave him a real capacity to help others through that same difficulty.

His calmness and ability to remain unflustered has often been remarked upon and served him immensely in his many roles through life – as did a dry sense of humour and an ability to cut to the chase.

Tony will be sadly missed by his wife Mary, brother Arthur, sons Simon, Martin and Philip, and all his family and friends.

Tributes can be left and donations made to Alzheimer’s Research UK via the memorial website www.anthonyrule.muchloved.com