Tribute paid to 'inspirational' teacher who taught at two Northumberland schools for 40 years

Coun Trevor Thorne, who represents the Shilbottle ward on Northumberland County Council, was taught by Miss Nancy Middleton as a youngster at Newton on the Moor School in 1958.

Miss Middleton taught at the school for two decades, before spending another 20 years at Alnwick South School.

Speaking at Thursday’s meeting of Northumberland County Council’s family and children’s service overview and scrutiny committee, Coun Thorne revealed he had read a much-loved children’s book at the service.

He said: “I have a story about an infant school teacher. Far too often these people give amazing service to our authority, then they retire and are not recognised.

“Yesterday I had the pleasure of participating in a funeral of my infant school teacher from 1958. A friend of hers who had come for dinner at Embleton Hall when I ran it as a hotel, and this friend told me she knew a teacher, Miss Middleton.

“I penned a letter back to her saying what an inspirational teacher she had been at Newton on the Moor Primary School. I was contacted and asked yesterday to come back and, would you believe, read the Owl and the Pussycat, which she taught me back in 1958.

“It was moving, but I really enjoyed it because we were marking and celebrating her contribution to Northumberland County Council, not just at Newton on the Moor School, where she spent 20 years, but also at Alnwick South School, where she went and did another 20 years. It was a very moving occasion.”