Former Lyme Regis Grammar School pupil dies (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Former Lyme Regis Grammar School pupil dies

3:44pm Tuesday 22nd January 2013 in Lyme Regis

A FORMER Lyme Regis Grammar School pupil whose love for his birth town never waned has died.

Alan Cox passed away in Portsmouth at the aged of 73.

Mr Cox, whose early years were spent in his Lyme family home in Hill Road, was a regular visitor to the West Dorset resort, and always took a keen interest, through the local press, in its affairs.

He will be remembered by his former school colleagues as a great character, with fair play always being one of his priorities.

A former server at Lyme Regis Parish Church, Mr Cox was passionate about the environment and nature and was extremely observant.

He often spotted and rescued animals in difficulty, and was the owner of several dogs over the years.

On leaving the grammar school at 16, Mr Cox went to Portsmouth to do an engineering apprenticeship at the dockyard while continuing his studies at college.

On qualifying as an engineer and draughtsman, he went on to work on Ministry of Defence projects at Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment (ASWE) where he held a responsible position.

Music – particularly jazz and folk – was one of his great leisure interests as were cycling and his collection of bikes and motorcycles.

He served as a school governor in Portsmouth and was always pleased to be involved with the welfare of young people. His considerable practical skills were put to good use in his role of scenery painter and props manager for a children’s theatre company in the Portsmouth area.

Extremely artistic, he worked in varied media, including silver craft and glass etching.

He leaves two daughters, Ellen and Jenny, and two sisters, Ann and Gill.