PETER LAVARACK (1942-2022)

Peter Lavarack, who taught Chemistry at the College for 25 years, died in Thatcham on April 22^nd 2022 aged 79, after a long battle with cancer, as we were informed by his daughter Imke Watson. He left a wife Heidi and twin daughters.

Peter was brought up in South Africa and became a teacher at Hilton College in what was then Natal where he met and assisted Richard Norris. As the apartheid regime intensified, Richard returned to England. Peter and his family followed some years later. Richard, by then teaching at Pangbourne, helped him to find a job at the College. The Norris family to this day remain close to the Lavaracks.

At Pangbourne, Peter Lavarack built up a strong reputation – “very much one of the team and a great supporter of the Wardroom” according to a colleague. A qualified rugby referee, he coached many sides and ran the 2^nd XI hockey team for years. Known for his forthright views, he became Housemaster of Macquarie and Paramatta. Heidi worked full-time as a House Matron with the McBrooms in Port Jackson and as a much-appreciated Chapel flower arranger.

At a time of financial turmoil for the College, Peter was controversially made redundant in 1997. He then showed his worth by becoming Head of Chemistry and Housemaster of the Junior House at Bearwood College. On retirement, Peter and Heidi settled in Thatcham; before long he was teaching Science at Brockhurst & Marlston House, a local prep school.

David Harris added:

I valued Peter as a colleague in the science department, as a fellow housemaster and as a friend.  He was indeed a forthright character;  there was never any uncertainty or equivocation in his approach and you always knew exactly what he thought even if you didn’t always agree with him.  For my part I admired the fact that he was usually far less bothered about what people thought about him than he was about the moral point he was trying to make.  Peter grew up in a very different ethical landscape to most of us and clearly felt strongly enough about the injustices in South Africa to bring his family all the way to Britain.  Perhaps this is why, in matters of fairness, humanity and humility, he was so rarely to be found away from the high ground.

I must also add how much we all appreciated Heidi’s conscientious, calming and very caring influence as House Matron in Hesperus for over nine years.