The obituary notice of Brian Victor Frederick HARRILD

Was certainly very professional to his professional and wanted the best for everyone - no matter their background etc.

William Page - 2000-2008
william.page92@gmail.com

I was at St Crispin School for my entire education, starting from half-days at Avenue Road Junior school in 1989, right through to my GCSE exams at St Mary Road 2001.

To say Mr Harrild shaped my formative years would be an understatement. He led the school with a calm confidence and unwavering passion to make sure all his pupils left equipped to make their way through life in a way that, at the time, you didn't even know you needed, until later in your life, when these lessons would give you the fortitude to achieve your goals and go forth into the world as a well rounded person. He was a man of great integrity and commanded respect, not just through discipline, but through the love and care he showed to every pupil and staff member.

Reading these Tributes is a testament to the man he was and the way he has shaped so many lives that he cared for over the years. This is a sad loss and the passing of a true educator. One of the few people who didn't want to change you as a person to fit his way of teaching. But he could adapt his teaching to each child's needs. A true Gentleman and a man I respected greatly. The smell of pipe tobacco and linseed oil will forever bring memories of Mr Harrild flooding back.

As students, we all knew when the cricket season had started. Mr Harrild would no longer wear his sharp suits. But the cricket jumper would be a daily sight. In the hot days of summer, every pupil would long for the famous 'Blazer and Ties Off' that he would announce, but it needed to be warm for that to happen.

Rest In Peace, Mr Harriled, you will forever have a place in my and many others hearts.

His saying of "Quite Quiet Boys" Is one I remember with great fondness.

Jonathan Ainsworth 1989-2001 St Crispin's School "Respice-Finem"

Mr. Harrild was my headmaster for the whole of my school life. From Primary, all the way through to GCSEs. A wonderful teacher and important man in my formative years. I remember fondly our talks about many varying subjects with somehow a high percentage of those talks ending up talking about cricket. A wonderful man who I will always either picture sat in his study, pipe lit and writing things down using a fountain pen and a pot of ink, or driving the minibus to a cricket match. To his family, my deepest condolences for your loss. Rest in eternal peace, Sir.

Thank you Rajdeep, you have said it perfectly!

Mr Harrild was such an amazing human being and the older i get the more and more i realise this to be true!

He was loving, patient and compassionate with all of us a pupils at school, a real father figure to us all!!

I will share a few memories i have of him:

Gold Block Stop - in the Summer term, Mr Harrild would take us to and umpire our Cricket matched. We ALL wanted to play for Mr Harrild's team because of the Lengendary "Gold Block Stop" the team would recieve if they played well! There were other rewards like Cricket Balls, Bats etc for Runs and Wickets BUT everyone wanted THE. GOLD. BLOCK. STOP haha! This was when Mr Harrild would stop at Petrol Station on the way home and buy us all a white Magnum ice cream. What makes me laugh in hindsight is he always heard the whispers about wondering if we were going to get 1 and would always appear like he didn't and suprise us at the last minute!!! Ahh what a guy!!

Another memory is PRIZE GIVING at the end of each academic year where every pupil would recieve a Book based on something in which they had excelled, more often than not something with regards to character rather than academics and each book would have a personal message from Mr Harrild. This demonstrates the loving, encouraging and supportive side of such a great man!!! Always said or did what was needed at the right time!

The lessons Mr Harrild showed me will never leave and i will be eternally grateful! I find myself, often, smiling fondly about my time at school, it was such an amazing experience due to the leadership of such a great man! I honestly think me being a Youth Worker and how conduct myself is hugely down to my experience at St Crispins from 1995 - 2001.

Thank you Mr Harrild,

Rest Well.

Rajdeep, you hit the nail on the head. As a fellow student, I relate to every word—though I certainly tested Mr. Harrild’s patience more than most!

​I was definitely one of the naughty ones, yet he had the incredible grace to let me be exactly who I was. He balanced firm discipline with a kindness that saw my potential even through the mischief. I’m forever grateful for a leader who didn't try to change my personality, but instead steered me toward being a better man. A truly amazing legacy.

It is difficult to put into words the impact one person can have over the course of a lifetime. However, I know I am only one of many whose life was quietly shaped by him.

From the age of 11 to 16, during some of the most formative years of my life, he was more than just a head teacher. In a small school that felt more like an extended family…. He was at the heart of it all — a steady, reassuring presence who led not just with authority but with genuine care.

He was a man of traditional values, someone who believed deeply in respect, integrity and doing the right thing even when it wasn’t the easiest path. Those principles weren’t just spoken; they were lived, every single day and they left a lasting impression on all of us who passed through the school.

Alongside that strong moral compass was a warmth and joy that made him truly special. He had a way of bringing lightness into the everyday… a smile, a moment of humour or a kind word at exactly the right time. He understood that education wasn’t just about lessons in a classroom but about nurturing confidence, character and a sense of belonging.

Looking back now, decades later, I realise just how rare that combination is. Firmness with kindness, discipline with compassion, tradition with genuine joy. He created an environment where we felt seen, supported and encouraged to become better versions of ourselves.

His influence did not end when we left those school gates. It stayed with us in the choices we make, the values we carry and the way we treat others.

I feel incredibly grateful to have known him and to have been guided by him during those important years. He will be remembered not just as a head teacher but as a man who truly made a difference.

That is a legacy that will endure.

Rajdeep Attwal
Student of St.Crispins 1994-1999