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Back to all news
Members of the St Paul’s Community are invited to share their messages of condolence, following the sad loss of Dr Ed Beesley, Head of History at St Paul’s.
Ed’s wife is extremely grateful for the kind words she has received so far and wanted the school to share this message with the Pauline community:
Normally, I am extremely assiduous in writing thank-you cards for the gifts I receive but, after today, this would be an Herculean task so please excuse the impersonal nature of this message.
Ed was loved and respected wherever he worked and it is an enormous help to Augusta, Theo and me to see this marked so palpably by the hundreds of cards and messages we have already received. We have long since run out of vases for beautiful flowers and the massive box which just arrived with so many envelopes, gifts and expressions of love from SPGS and SPS is quite overwhelming. The Rugby community also holds Ed deep in their hearts and so we are drawing on our collective good memories to keep us strong. Ed will live with us forever, of course, but you have all already played a huge part in supporting us and I know he would love you all the more for it.
With our best wishes, Lizzie, Augusta and Theo.
If you would like to share your message on this page, please add your comment in the below box.
If you wish to include your name with your message, please add it to the message box as well as the field marked ‘name’.
Dr Beesley was the kind of history teacher I would have loved when I was at school. I am so very sad at the loss to the school, the boys and his family. Of all the teachers we have met during our son’s time at St Paul’s, Ed was the only one we felt we knew; yet of course we didn’t know him. But it is testament to his extraordinary charisma, charm, enthusiasm for his subject, and care for his pupils, that we could feel in those brief 5 minute connections at Parents’ Evening completely engaged and as though our son and his success in history were somehow unique and special to Ed. I know from conversations with my son that Ed also managed to convey this in class as well and that the boys quite simply adored him. My son chose witchcraft for his A level coursework topic solely on the basis that Ed would be his supervisor. We shall all miss him very much.
Shocked to hear the news. Dr (Ed) Beesley inspired and guided our son in his history studies at SPS especially in the chaos of COVID – for which we are eternally grateful. However, we will remember him most for his acute insight, the art of the understatement, his humility, humour and above all for simply being a kind and lovely man. Gone far too soon. Rest in peace Ed knowing you have touched the lives of many making a positive impact and leaving a lasting impression. Thinking of your wife and family.
Barry & Louise Vitou
We are very saddened to hear of Dr. Beesley’s passing. Our deepest condolences to his family. He was a truly wise and inspirational teacher.
Dr. Beesley is an inspiration to me. A good teacher both funny and serious in the same sentence. He was passionate and also very kind.
It is enormously saddening to hear of Ed’s death. He was a supremely kind friend and colleague and an undoubted inspiration to those he taught. His scholarship was impeccable and the breadth and range of his historical interests extraordinary. He will be much missed by all who knew him.