Abingdonian 2020

95 www.abingdon.org.uk Staff Farewells Ian Fishpool Ian arrived at Abingdon in 1985, taking up the post of resident boarding tutor, which was to mark the beginning of a long, varied and successful career spanning 35 years, during which he combined a busy family life with an impressively active role within many areas of the school community. Whether as a boarding tutor, Head of Geography, head of a dayboy house, Senior Teacher, or contingent commender in the CCF, he enjoyed the respect and affection of those he worked with, his personal touch, ability to listen and empathise, and his down to earth professionalism enabling him to establish a close rapport with many people across the full spectrum of school life. As a boarding tutor, in what was then Waste Court, Ian quickly impressed his Housemaster, Munna Mitra, with his ability to relate easily to the boys, fellow colleagues and the domestic staff, often showing a wisdom beyond his years, and a talent for dealing with difficult situations in a sensitive and effective manner, all attributes which were to become a hallmark of his future career. He was able to see everything in its proper perspective when working with the boys, and he earned their absolute respect as they felt he had their interests at heart, and that they were treated fairly, and were well cared for. His loyalty, reassuring presence and constant support were greatly appreciated by his Housemaster, and it was clear that he made an invaluable contribution to the successful running of the house. There followed a nine year spell as a dayboy housemaster where he displayed the same light but firm touch and the same degree of enthusiastic commitment and engagement which was evident as a boarding tutor. His door was always open to both boys and colleagues alike, and he always found time to listen sympathetically to those in the house who wanted to voice their concerns, offering no nonsense, practical advice. He was a constant source of support and encouragement to his tutors, and played down his rank which allowed open conversations of a personal or professional nature. However, one area which was not an unqualified success story was the House Singing Competition. Ian was reluctant to get involved in this activity, passing the responsibility on to either an unsuspecting pupil or colleague and was not unduly concerned when we were ranked near the bottom, or even disqualified - as happened on two occasions… Having made a significant impact as a dayboy housemaster, Ian then turned his talents to the post of Head of Geography where again he made his mark and provided a steadying hand during a period of considerable change. Passionate about all things geographical and with a profound knowledge of his subject (he had an article published in the prestigious journal National Geographic) he oversaw the education of generations of Abingdonians and undoubtedly helped promote the careers of many of his colleagues. He appeared at his happiest when getting his hands dirty on one of the countless field trips he organised – whether sipping a gin and tonic in a parador or walking the dog whilst the sixth form manfully measured dune succession. Many of us non-geographers will also look back with fondness on those fourth year field trips to Bristol. He was instrumental in the success of the department, maintaining the high level of popularity of geography throughout his tenure, and was not content to let the department rest on its laurels. A good example of this was his determination to introduce and develop the GIS facility, which is normally the preserve of undergraduate