I was very sad to hear of Mervyn's death. Since joining the Guildford U3A four or five years ago I had welcomed the opportunity to met him on several occasions but it was in his LEA role at the Guildford LEA office that I had most appreciated his support and his administrative competence . In the mid to late 1980s I was headteacher of Rodborough School in Milford and at that time Mervyn was chairman of the Godalming consortium of headteachers and the principal of Godalming College. It was a time just prior to the Kenneth Baker reforms when the LEA still retained a very significant role in the allocation of resources between schools and trying to maintain a degree of harmony between the competing establishments could at times be a challenging task. I recall Mervyns unfailing courtesy, his ability to register his disagreement or irritation with a quizzical look or an uncomfortably direct question. There was a complete trust in his integrity that I believe we all shared. In large measure as a result of the manner in which Mervyn managed the consortium I recall the strong fellowship that was engendered amongst colleagues. It was only after moving schools and joining another consortium that I appreciated how sensitively matters had been handled by Mervyn. All of these events occurred 30 years ago but I retain fond and appreciative recollections of those years and the very significant role that Mervyn played. Arthur Webster