Midsomer Norton has lost one of its best known and much loved figures with the recent passing of Norman Voake.

Norman was born in Cardiff in 1931, and went to Michael Hall School until 1947, when he got his first job working for G.E.C. in Cardiff. In 1949, Norman requested to complete his National Service, which saw him become part of the Royal Fusiliers until 1951. In 1954, he decided to further his education and studied at Westminster College in London.

Norman took up his first teaching role in 1956 in a small school in Cornwall. It sparked something within him and his career in teaching took off from there.

He came to Midsomer Norton in 1959, when he joined the staff at Somervale School, working with children with special educational needs. In 1960, Norman also became a local preacher at the Methodist Church and remained in this role until very recently, when ill health forced him to stop preaching and instead became a parishioner.

1969 was the year that Norman gained his diploma in working with special needs and he was appointed as Head of Special Needs at Somervale School, a role which he loved and talked very fondly of. Over the next eighteen years, Norman taught hundreds of Midsomer Norton pupils, both at Somervale, but also as part of the Norton Radstock Orchestra, where he played the clarinet.

In 1988, Norman decided to take early retirement and his love of discovering our local history came to the forefront of his life. Norman spent many years researching the schools in

Midsomer Norton from as far back as the 18th century and when all this information was compiled, he produced a series of books, focusing on the schools we know today. During Norman’s retirement, he lectured at a college for adult

learners, took a study course with inmates in a local prison and also still worked as a supply teacher until the year 2000.

In his retirement, Norman worked with the Midsomer Norton Society, giving talks, writing for the local radio station and also kept his hand in with a charity organisation that he helped to set up in 2002 as a relief fund for the people of Midsomer Norton.

Norman played a huge role in the history of Midsomer Norton, through teaching many of our parents and grandparents, to educating our schools on their history, as well as setting up charities to help local people. He was without doubt a much loved Nortonian who touched many lives in the community.