Tributes paid to popular former Heasandford Primary School teacher Alan Bullock
Tributes have been paid to a popular former primary school teacher and “joyous person” who has died in Burnley.
Mr Alan Bullock, who has died aged 76, served as the respected deputy headteacher at Heasandford Primary School in Williams Road for many years until his retirement in 2004.
His brother John, also a teacher, paid tribute to Alan and said he had been loved by generations of children for his easy-going manner and great sense of humour.
“Since Alan died everyone we have seen seems to have known him and remembered him findly, even including the person registering his death.
“Alan started his teacing career at Rosehill but most spent most time at Heasandford where he became a very popular figure. He was a joyous person, always looking for fun.
“I think former pupils will remember his amazing assemblies and silly jokes. I think he inherited his sense of humour from our dad who was a bit of a stand-up comic.”
The brothers grew up in the Burnley Lane area, which Alan continued to live in all his life, until the last few months when he moved in to Heather Grange Care Home following heart problems.
Away from teaching, Alan had a wide range of interests inlcuding amateur dramatics with St Cuthbert’s Operatic Society and playing the dame at pantomimes in Oswaldtwistle. He also enjoyed football and cricket, birdwatching and drawing.
Heasandford headteacher Jackie Hall also paid tribute to Alan.
“After attending the school himself as a young pupil (along with his brother, John), Alan became a much-loved member of our teaching team at Heasandford Primary School, and remained so for 30 years from 1974 up to his retirement in 2004,” she said.
“He served the community both as a class teacher and also as a dedicated deputy headteacher who had such a positive influence on how our school grew. Alan had a real passion for making education as interactive and fun as possible - he would enrich his lessons and school assemblies with music and singing which many of his ex-pupils and colleagues still remember today!
“Alan also used his creative theatrical and musical skills to produce and lead many entertaining school stage productions – sharing his passion for the arts with children, staff and parents alike.
“Alongside his daily teaching responsibilities, he also loved sport and supported individuals and teams of our children to compete in a wide variety of competitions (including the now famous Olympic gymnast and BBC commentator Craig Heap), always giving his time to support them and cheer them on every step of the way.
“Alan dedicated his life to making our children happy – including planning and leading school trips to far flung destinations such as Paris, the Rhineland and Arnside.
“He made sure the children left Heasandford with a bank full of special memories. This is what made Alan special and gave him such pride throughout his long career – he built young citizens, but he also built special memories and formed life-long bonds with the people he met. He will forever be fondly remembered by so many and will be sorely missed.”