Inspiring teacher dies, aged 81

Bernard Grogan

A DEDICATED teacher who was a deputy head teacher in Oldham for 25 years has died, aged 81.

Bernard Grogan, who died in a nursing home on Tuesday after a long illness, inspired generations of young Oldhamers, first at St Anselm’s (now St Augustine’s) and then at St Alban’s and St Augustine’s.

He started his career at St Anselm’s, the borough’s first Catholic comprehensive school, as a French and Latin teacher in the late 1950s.

It was there that he established his reputation as a strict teacher, whose strong sense of discipline brought out the best in his pupils.

He then became the deputy head at St Alban’s in Abbey Hills and worked there for more than 20 years until it was demolished at the end of the 1980s, finally returning to St Augustine’s, the school which replaced St Anselm’s, acting as deputy head for two years until his retirement in 1989.

Mr Grogan’s wife, Mary (82), of Garden Suburb, said: “I’ve no doubt that many Oldhamers owe their career success, in part, to Bernard. His former pupils always say that he was strict but that it did them good.”

A family man, Mr Grogan had 11 children, 14 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

His daughter, Margaret Lees (53), from Royton, who teaches at Corpus Christi school, said: “Dad was quite strict, but also very gentle and caring.”

Mr Grogan’s funeral will take place next Tuesday at St Patrick’s Church in John Street at 9.15am. The service will be followed by burial at Hollinwood Cemetery.