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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’.
As form tutor, Ed was great at listening and observing, then guiding as a friendly coach. He genuinely cared and built a culture of trust and support. Our deepest sympathy and condolences to Ed’s family.
I was incredibly lucky to have Dr Beesley teach me history for 3 years at St Pauls. He taught me how to form arguments and helped me to shape the way I think. He always found the perfect balance between teaching and connecting with his students; I would often leave his class with a gem of wisdom or life advice. Dr Beesley was one of the few teachers I had during high school who genuinely made me enjoy learning, and I attribute many of the interests I have now to him. Thank you for being such a supportive, enthusiastic , and all round amazing teacher.
Wishing Lizzie, Augusta and Theo the best.
You were always my favourite history teacher when I was younger, you were a pleasure for everyone who had the pleasure of being taught by you.
Thoughts and prayers with the family.
It was with profound shock and sadness that I heard of Dr Beesley’s untimely passing. With it, the Pauline community has lost an incredible man. A giant amongst teachers and an inspiration to so many, Dr Beesley was quite unique. I was lucky enough to be taught by him for both GCSE and A Level History and the impact that he had on my school experience was truly transformative. When I reflect on my time at St Paul’s, Dr Beesley’s lessons and the many conversations that we shared were certainly a highlight. I will be forever grateful for the passion for History which he instilled in me. Few who match his mastery of their subject are able to share it with others with such clarity, flair, and excitement: from Naseby to Number 10, Cromwell to Heseltine, British history came alive under his tutelage. Not only a wonderful teacher, Dr Beesley was also a fantastic mentor and a true friend. Endlessly considerate of his students, he had a genuine concern for their wellbeing and managed to strike a unique balance between academic and pastoral support. His wit and constant good humour were always a welcome relief at the most stressful of times. He will be sorely missed and I send my heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, current, and former students.
I first met Dr Beesley in the New Year of 2018 when he took over our History Pre-U class after the departure of a teacher. It is hard to overstate the impact he had on my academic career. I have incredibly fond memories of sharing in his passion for all things 17th century and I recall his invaluable support as I was penning my application to read History at Cambridge. I remember his wit, his charm, his remarkable work ethic, and his knack for keeping Paulines’ nerves under control during the maelstrom of exams! It was only natural that we kept in touch (including hearing more about his Heseltine project!) and I was particularly appreciative of the advice he gave as I was charting the course of my final year dissertation. Dr Beesley was a superb teacher, who adored his subject, his department, and his pupils. He will be sorely missed.