Martin D Stead was born in Leeds (in what once was the West Riding of Yorkshire) in 1948. He attended Leeds Grammar School, followed by Sheffield University (History) and then a year at Carnegie College of Physical Education, Leeds, for his PGCE.
In 1972 he was appointed by Canon Lunt to teach PE, Games and History, and thus began his long, considerable and impressive career at KES. By wonderful coincidence, Geoffrey Boycott was the England County Cricket Board’s leading run scorer in that same year – there was some similarity between Martin and he, not least that they could both be dour Yorkshiremen!
Martin’s commitment to the school was huge, particularly in terms of traditional games and extra-curricular involvement, and literally hundreds of boys have him to thank for their introduction to properly organised sport. The simple statistics speak for themselves: 38 years of taking a school cricket team, including 21 as master I/c and 1st XI coach; 12 years of taking KES basketball teams, from U13 to U19; perhaps most impressively of all, 38 years of school rugby teams, most notably the seemingly unbeatable U13 ‘A’ XVs. So not many ‘free’ Saturdays then, or weekday lunchtimes or afternoons!
Such commitment apart, Martin taught a full timetable of PE, Games and History; was always a Shell or Remove Form Tutor; was joint Heath House Master, and for over 20 years was in the CCF, initially Army section, then I/c Royal Navy section.
Never knowingly hurried or rushed, Martin carried out his many and varied duties with good humour, care and diligence, and a shrewdness of thought that his sometimes lugubrious manner belied. Martin was a very amiable, pleasant and patient person, and many people, both young and old, benefited from his considerable kindness. It was a most rewarding experience working with him for many years. He retired in 2010.
He is survived by his wife, Anne, their son, Tim, and their daughter, Catherine.
Stuart Birch (ex-colleague)
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Basketball:- Martin’s U13 teams won five consecutive Kings Norton Championships, and in the process won every game.
Cricket:- During Martin’s time as master I/c, KES produced both captains (Anurag Singh [1994] – Cambridge University, and Mark Wagh [1995] – Oxford University) for the 1998 Inter Varsity game at Lords. Only the second such occasion in modern times.
Rugby:- Martin was I/c U13 ‘A’ XV for 38 years, during which his teams went unbeaten too many times to recall, and only once did a team lose more games than it won in a season. Martin’s early team selection was unique. Having watched the boys play their first training game as U13s, he would ask them what their U12 position had been. “On the wing, sir.” “OK, you start at prop!” “Back row, sir.” “Fly half on Saturday.” It usually worked!
