Tributes paid to Rotherham lecturer Tom

TOUCHING tributes have been paid to a former college lecturer and councillor who dedicated his life to improving that of others.

Tom Brown, a lecturer at Rotherham College of Arts and Technology (RCAT) for ten years, died last month at the age of 85.

Mr Brown also worked as vice-principal at North Nottinghamshire College in Worksop before representing Rotherham as a county councillor from 1981 to 1986.

His daughter Emma (43) said: “Dad was very caring and him and my mum, Kay, both dedicated their lives to helping others.

“He was a real character and he used to make a lot of people smile. He was quite quick witted about it too.

“I was the youngest of four children and my parents had numerous foster children as well but dad always did everything to make sure his children were safe.”

Mr Brown moved to Rotherham with his wife Kay in 1971, having been born in Carluke, in Scotland.

As well as his work at RCAT at North Nottinghamshire College, he was chairman of governors at Wickersley Comprehensive School for 15 years and was also chairman of South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive.

Ms Brown said: “My dad saw a lot of poverty when he grew up in a former mining village in Scotland before he won a scholarship to study at Ruskin College, Oxford.

“It was a completely new world to him and he realised he wanted to educate people and try and make things better for others.

“He was heavily involved with the Labour party and he was offered the chance to be an MP in a safe seat in Glasgow but he turned it down because he said he wanted to educate rather than legislate.”

Following his retirement, Mr Brown founded the Rotherham branch of the University of the Third Age (U3A), which now has 340 members from across the borough.

He leaves four children — Stephen, Christopher, Sara and Emma — and four grandchildren — Thomas, James, Finn and Freya.

Mr Brown’s funeral will take place at Rotherham Crematorium on Monday, May 9 at 10.30am, followed by a celebration of his life at Wickersley Cricket Club.

Ms Brown said friends and family were welcome to attend.

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