Mr Thomas Edgar

MR Tom Edgar, who has died at his home at Blue Row, Castlewellan, at the age of 85, was a retired school teacher,
lecturer and man of many interests.

Tom was born on Christmas Eve, 1929, in the same Blue Row house which was to be his home for the rest of his life — a life devoted to the education of children and a life that enriched so many relationships in many diverse ways.

It was Tom’s passion for knowledge that brought him so much enjoyment, as well as the opportunity to share it with others.

He was educated at the Public Elementary School in Castlewellan, Down High School and Stranmillis College. At the age of 19 he was appointed as a teacher in Dundrum. He became a principal at Glasgar and later taught in Newry and in Banbridge Intermediate School.

His interest in education was teaching general subjects. A further course of study at Stranmillis qualified him to students who had difficulty with learning.

Tom was enthusiastic about the Open University through which he undertook a course of study and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts.

He became a lecturer at the College of Further Education in Portadown, a post from which he retired. His empathy with the students was characteristic of his relationships with everyone he met. A colleague described him as “good, kind, thoughtful — he would do anything for you.” He had setbacks
in his life, but he never complained.

Tom’s interests were prolific. During wartime he joined the Air Training Corps at his school and his interest in aviation remained. He joined the Boy Scouts, which introduced him to adventure in the outdoors. He was a member of Newcastle Yacht Club and with a consortium of friends he helped build a trimaran which competed in regattas for many years.

He was a member of Newcastle Amateur Dramatic Society and later a member of Newcastle Field Club.

Perhaps his greatest and lasting interest was gardening. Tom had an encyclopaedic knowledge of plants and delighted in growing the exotic and unusual. He was also a collector of many objects which he painstakingly catalogued.

Throughout his life Tom always had a project in hand. With his collection of memorabilia of the Great War, his last project was producing his own DVD to illustrate the impact of that war on his family.

Tom was a member of St Paul’s Church, Castlewellan, in which he serviced as a Sunday School teacher, church warden and treasurer. In the absence of an organist in the church for many years, Tom played recorded church music at every service to lead the worship of the congregation.

Tom was invited to take part in the UTV documentary, Lesser Spotted Journey — Castlewellan, which was broadcast on November 24. He watched the programme the day before he died and was delighted with its portrayal of Castewellan, its history, environment and skills of its people.

In a personal tribute to Tom’s contribution, Joe Mahon, the presenter of the programme, has written: “I’d like to think that he went to his rest happy in the knowledge that his final talk was delivered on a stage befitting a long and honourable career.”

The Rev Brian Cadden officiated at the funeral service in St Paul’s Parish Church on November 29, which was followed by interment in the adjoining churchyard.

Tom his survived by his sister, Mrs May Hamilton.