The obituary notice of Dr Elfride BICKERSTETH - J

Dr Bickersteth gave me my life long love of New Testament Greek. Whilst now a sociology academic, I carry fond memories and much learning that she gave me!

Dr Bickersteth was my personal/pastoral tutor at Hull University from 1983-86 and also taught me Early Church History in the first year. She was very independent and slightly intimidating to this country boy from County Antrim, Northern Ireland. I remember getting a slightly waspish comment early in October 1983 for having (inadvertently) missed an appointment. However, she kindly went out of her way to invite her small pastoral tutor group round to her flat for an evening meal and we reciprocated at the end of the year and took her out for an evening meal in Beverley. She seemed to appreciate the consideration given and time taken to arrange such an outing. I have to say that whilst relations normalised after the October 1983 incident, I always felt slightly intimidated in her presence and certainly in tutorials. Requiescat in pace.

Elfride was an oldFriend and supporter of the Hellenic Institute of Royal Holloway, University of London. Atalented classicist and patristic scholar,she also contributed to the Lampe Patristic Greek Lexicon and the Encyclopaedia Britannica. She will be remembered with deep affection, respect and admiration for her simplicity, generosity, gentleness and humanity, and for her scholarship and love for Hellenism and the Orthodox Church.

?????a ? µ??µ?.

My condolences! I will remember Elfride as a bastion of help and good humour when I arrived at Hull university in 1986 to start my Biology Degree. She was wonderful, kind, generous and made my first few weeks wonderful beyond belief by being there and listening and helping me settle in.

I was so please to have known her and the experience was enlightening.

Above all else she was Great Human Being.