Graham Merlane, a former Headteacher of King Charles I School, died on 11th August.
Posted on Mon 11 September 2023
Graham Merlane, Headteacher of King Charles I School from 1975 to 1984, died on 11th August 2023.
He had lived in Richmond, North Yorkshire for many years. The Association was represented at his funeral by the President, Tim Gulliver, who is himself a former Headteacher of the School.
Graham was a graduate of the University of Nottingham with an MSc degree in Mathematics. He had previously taught at Wallasey and in Reading.
He took over the Headship from Kingsley Raw, and, in 1977, was faced with the monumental task of combining three local grammar schools into one large comprehensive school.
Past President Stephen Wyer, who attended King Charles I School at that time, writes: 'I am one of the very many ex-pupils [of] the School who owe him such a great debt. I know that he was instrumental in encouraging many pupils to apply to university and the nine pupils who gained places at Oxbridge colleges from the School in 1982 remains, I believe, a record.'