Chris Claxton: "An educator in the truest sense"

Wednesday 24 January 2024

Chris Claxton - a "long-serving and greatly loved teacher" - has died, with Blanchelande College leading tributes, sending "prayers and love to his family".

Mr Claxton had taught at the school for more than 25-years, with his skills focused mainly on music and maths.

Many of his former pupils and colleagues recalled him fondly and had shared their memories with him during his final days.

The school put out a call to members of its community earlier this month asking for "messages of appreciation, love and support" which would be shared with Mr Claxton and his wife, Claire and their children. 

The school said that within days it had received "so many beautiful letters and emails" which Mrs O’Leary, who taught with Mr Claxton in the maths department took with her when she visited him recently.

The school which he worked at for the bulk of his career led the tributes in the days following Mr Claxton's death.

Principal Robert O'Brien said: "During his 25 years teaching under the Blanchelande banner, Chris taught both Maths and Music but if you asked him what he taught he would invariably say 'children'. This sums up the kind of teacher he was - not simply someone who was there to impart knowledge of a syllabus, but an educator in the truest sense - one who 'leads out' the potential that lies within each child.

"After his retirement in 2017, Chris continued to work within our Learning Support department, continuing his vocation as a teacher by helping students who struggled with maths on a one-to-one basis.

"While Chris will be much missed by all who knew him, his legacy at Blanchelande is evident in the ethos of the school and the impact he had on his many colleagues. The many testimonials left on our Facebook post are an eloquent evidence of this.

"Although this is s sad time, it is hard to think of Chris without a feeling of joy - because he was an immensely joyful man with a deep faith. We give thanks for the great contribution Chris made to this College, and we send our love and prayers to Claire and his family."

Mr Claxton was married to his wife Claire for 42 years and the couple had three sons; Samuel, Thomas, and Matthew, and grandchildren. 

Carol service at St Andrew’s church #Guernsey yesterday. Thanks to Chris Claxton for composing some beautiful music. Good to welcome so many people. Very conscious of the privilege of gathering for such a service, impossible this year in Jersey and much of the UK. #ComfortAndJoy pic.twitter.com/h76lOXBgCB

— Tim Barker (@TimBarker10) December 21, 2020

As well as his work at Blanchelande, Mr Claxton had taught at two other schools in the island at least. He was also prolific in the island's wider music community with many achievements including being asked to compose a piece of music to mark the 75th anniversary of the bailiwick's liberation in 2010.

He had started his career at Elizabeth College, and later worked at St Sampson's Secondary. He also worked with hundreds of students through other organisations. 

Mr Claxton had first moved to Guernsey in the mid 1970s, after he took on a position teaching boys' English and Music at Elizabeth College. He held that role until 1981 when he married Claire Le Tissier - then completing her probationary year teaching music at a school in Hampshire. After their marriage that summer, Mr Claxton started work as the Head of Music at Oak Farm School, Hampshire.

The Elizabeth College annual, The Elizabethan paid tribute to Mr Claxton in 1981 saying: "The contribution which Chris has made to the musical life of the College has been very great.

"He is a cheerful, easy colleague, thorough and co-operative, conscientious and concerned. In the design of his lessons he is imaginative and enterprising. He has clear ideas about the standards set in a school of this calibre, conforms to these both personally and in the demands he makes of his pupils.

"Any musical performance rehearsed under his direction is indentifiable by virtue of the clarity with which the different musical lines can be heard moving harmoniously if contrapuntally. As a member of that audience one also appreciates the good turnout of all those on the stage and the panache with which the performance is presented.

"He demands and obtains high standards. Young and old, male and female, enjoy working for Chris: in the Guernsey Concert Band of which he is the Conductor; in the Town Church Choir of which he is the Assistant Choir Master; in the Elizabeth College Summer Orchestral Course of which he has been the Director; in the College Orchestras and the Wind Band and in the classroom.

"We shall all be sad to see him go, but he and Claire carry with them our best wishes for every happiness in their life together, plus success and reward in their musical work. I rather fancy that we shall hear more of Chris's musical compositions, many of which have given us pleasure already."

When the Claxton's returned to Guernsey a few years later he took on the position at Blanchelande for which many hundreds of women remember him today.

The school was at that time based at the convent in St Martin's run by the Sisters of Mercy under the leadership of Sister Patrick. Many former pupils from those years have recalled their time under the tutelage of Mr Claxton. Michelle Riddle was among them. 

Pictured: Some of the tributes left to Mr Claxton when Blanchelande College announced his death yesterday.

"Such sad news," she wrote on Facebook. 

"I was fortunate to be both pupil and work colleague with Chris at Blanchelande. A fabulous teacher with such a passion for music and teaching, you could always hear him rumtumtumming along the corridor before you saw his smile. Such a sad loss. My thoughts and love go out to his family."

When the Sisters left the island in 1993 Blanchelande College was faced with closure, but instead a new school was formed by the parents and teachers supported by then-Deputy Valerie Renouf. Mr Claxton and other staff worked across both school sites for a while. 

Mr Claxton moved to St Sampson's Secondary School during the 1990s where he taught music and English before returning to Blanchelande College.  

Mr Claxton intended to end his teaching career at Blanchelande College when he retired in 2017, however he continued to work with the College in its Learning Support department for years afterwards. 

Younger past pupils have also been remembering their former teacher with kind words.

Chaya Ashton-Wall described him as "simply the best" while Soph Elia Greer said "what a wonderful and inspirational teacher he was".

Many pupils taught by Mr Claxton continue to perform musically to this day.

Ayrton Hockaday is among them - he called Mr Claxton "a proper character and a gentleman" when he paid tribute on the news of his former teacher's death yesterday.

Pictured top: Chris Claxton (inset) - picture shared by Blanchelande College.