'My dad never forgot that one teacher's moment of kindness'

As a young boy John Richardson loved nothing more than looking for rabbits in the fields behind his school in Thurnscoe. But, aged four, it was only possible with the help of a teacher guiding him through the long grass.

Now, more than 80 years later, he has repaid that simple act of kindness by leaving £8,000 to the school in his will, following his death aged 86.

His daughter Kate Davis said the "warmth and kindness" shown to her father had stayed with him through his life and was something he had chatted to her about before he died.

She said: "Just that thought of somebody helping a little person like that, it wasn't always the case [at the time]."

In honour of the nature loving boy, principal Kirsten Middleton has used the money to transform a "dilapidated" outdoor space at the school, now known as The Hill Primary Academy.

Middleton, herself a former pupil at the school, grew up in the mining community and recalls the moment she was contacted by John's family's solicitors.

"We were obviously over the moon, but also perplexed as to who this person was," she said.

"Because of the roots I've got within the community, I put some feelers out, but no one knew the name."

John left Thurnscoe with his family in 1940, relocating to the North East, where he went on to study at sociology at Durham University and worked first for the Citizens Advice Bureau before setting up a welfare rights organisation.

Despite leaving the area as a young boy his daughter said he had "remained a Yorkshireman at heart".

"He was apparently quite shy when he was younger, but later in life he could command a room with his humour," she said.

"He may have become a Sunderland fan, but he supported Yorkshire at cricket all his life."

The money has been used to transform a space in the middle of the school, known as the "quad", to create neat paved walkways, new flower beds, wooden benches and a pond.

"You couldn't access the space before," said Middleton.

"The walkways around the outside were overgrown with grass about four foot high. It was full of cracked tarmac and wasn't safe."

The centrepiece of the quad is the original school bell on a plinth built from bricks gathered from local pits over the years.

A plaque on the brickwork says: "In memory of John Richardson, former pupil of the Hill, kindness remembered, kindness returned. A legacy for generations."

At the end of the school year, departing pupils from Year 6 will each be encouraged to ring the bell to signify the end of time at the school.

Middleton said seeing pupils reaction to the transformation of the space when they returned to school was "hugely emotional".

John's wife Margaret died 18 years ago and his three children no longer live in England, so no one from the family has been able to see how their father's money has been spent.

However, his daughter has been in communication with the school.

"It's amazing what they've done to the space. It really brought home that this is still the beautiful school my dad remembered," she said.

"It's still got that heart and is still part of that community and trying to help the underdog, and that's what he stood for all of his life."

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