
Hundreds of friends, former pupils and local residents are expected to pack West Meon parish church next Friday morning (August 2) to say farewell to Charlie Tuck, one of the most prominent names on the Hampshire sporting scene for the past 50 years, who has died aged 81.
Charlie, a cricket enthusiast and long-retired PE teacher at Price’s School in Fareham, recently lost his battle with cancer, which he fought with incredible bravery for more than a year.
A proud Yorkshireman, Charlie was educated at Doncaster Grammar School and later the Carnegie College for Sport in Leeds, where his prowess at cricket and rugby shone through.
A hard-hitting opening batsman, he played cricket for the Yorkshire Academy and Doncaster Town, while in the winter months he was Carnegie's fleet-a-foot 1st XV's flanker.
His first teaching post was at St Peter's school in Doncaster, where former England soccer international Kevin Keegan was among his pupils. Charlie even got passing mention in KK's autobiography!
How ironic that, when he moved to Fareham in 1968 to teach at Price's School, Southampton striker Steve Moran was in his class. Moran played for Saints with Keegan at The Dell in the early Eighties.
Always immaculately turned out, Charlie was a hugely respected PE and maths teacher at Price's, as cricketer Simon Whitby, one of the schools prominent sportsmen, recalls.
"If you were a games-mad teenager you soon realised you’d got lucky when a young Mr Tuck arrived at Price’s Grammar School in Fareham - and transformed so many sporting lives.
"His reputation preceded him. A piece of Yorkshire grit determined to sharpen up us southern softies, with the use of a dreaded slipper (called Sebastian) if needed. Remember, this was 1968.
Big ideas
"Team Tuck, with the support of fellow selfless teachers, grew sports success at Price’s in football, hockey, basketball and particularly cricket. Charlie had big ideas for that.
"He wanted Price’s to compete against the best opposition in both state and public schools. Players were selected for Hampshire Schools teams. His organisational skills took sides on tours of the Channel Islands and, astonishingly, the Caribbean.
"All this driven by ambition, which some saw as Charlie’s ‘hard’ side. But this was a man who dispensed first aid to boys stricken by sea sickness in a Force 8 gale, who played the violin in the school orchestra and sang in musical productions with a strong bass voice. He was a tough nut certainly, but one evidently with a ‘soft’ centre.
"Charlie was a skilled sportsman too. A tidy leftie tennis player, a useful batsman and bowler for Gosport Borough and Waterlooville when time allowed. All that and a successful businessman, husband, father and grandfather too.
"Charlie Tuck. A cup of Yorkshire tea perhaps not to everyone’s taste, but a big chunk of Yorkie bar none the less. Thanks Charlie. Go well.”
Charlie, a cricket enthusiast and long-retired PE teacher at Price’s School in Fareham, recently lost his battle with cancer, which he fought with incredible bravery for more than a year.
A proud Yorkshireman, Charlie was educated at Doncaster Grammar School and later the Carnegie College for Sport in Leeds, where his prowess at cricket and rugby shone through.
A hard-hitting opening batsman, he played cricket for the Yorkshire Academy and Doncaster Town, while in the winter months he was Carnegie's fleet-a-foot 1st XV's flanker.
His first teaching post was at St Peter's school in Doncaster, where former England soccer international Kevin Keegan was among his pupils. Charlie even got passing mention in KK's autobiography!
How ironic that, when he moved to Fareham in 1968 to teach at Price's School, Southampton striker Steve Moran was in his class. Moran played for Saints with Keegan at The Dell in the early Eighties.
Always immaculately turned out, Charlie was a hugely respected PE and maths teacher at Price's, as cricketer Simon Whitby, one of the schools prominent sportsmen, recalls.
"If you were a games-mad teenager you soon realised you’d got lucky when a young Mr Tuck arrived at Price’s Grammar School in Fareham - and transformed so many sporting lives.
"His reputation preceded him. A piece of Yorkshire grit determined to sharpen up us southern softies, with the use of a dreaded slipper (called Sebastian) if needed. Remember, this was 1968.
Big ideas
"Team Tuck, with the support of fellow selfless teachers, grew sports success at Price’s in football, hockey, basketball and particularly cricket. Charlie had big ideas for that.
"He wanted Price’s to compete against the best opposition in both state and public schools. Players were selected for Hampshire Schools teams. His organisational skills took sides on tours of the Channel Islands and, astonishingly, the Caribbean.
"All this driven by ambition, which some saw as Charlie’s ‘hard’ side. But this was a man who dispensed first aid to boys stricken by sea sickness in a Force 8 gale, who played the violin in the school orchestra and sang in musical productions with a strong bass voice. He was a tough nut certainly, but one evidently with a ‘soft’ centre.
"Charlie was a skilled sportsman too. A tidy leftie tennis player, a useful batsman and bowler for Gosport Borough and Waterlooville when time allowed. All that and a successful businessman, husband, father and grandfather too.
"Charlie Tuck. A cup of Yorkshire tea perhaps not to everyone’s taste, but a big chunk of Yorkie bar none the less. Thanks Charlie. Go well.”
Local cricket probably didn't see the best of Charlie due to his commitment to Price's until the school holidays. His involvement was limited to Sundays and competitive league cricket in Hampshire hadn't even begun.
Being a proud Tyke, Charlie was desperate that his son Richard should be eligible to play for the White Rose county, which until 1992 insisted that all its players must have been born within the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire.
So, undeterred, in early April 1970 and with Richard's birth imminent, Charlie and his wife Sue hopped in their family car and steamed the 270-odd miles up the A1 to Harrogate so that he would be eligible for Yorkshire. The story made the national papers!
Richard did play cricket and was a decent batter, albeit on the small side, not for Yorkshire but for Hampshire at U12 and U13 schools’ level, before switching to play a decent level of squash and tennis.
Quality kit
When Sixth Form Colleges were introduced in the mid -1970s, Charlie became disillusioned with teaching and set up his own sports kit clothing company business (Allez), producing high quality cricket/rugby shirts and sweaters, besides supplying countless benefit ties around the sporting circuit.
Suddenly, Southern League cricket clubs smartened up, with players wearing identical uniform shirts and sweaters. Charlie was meticulous in designing coloured sweater trims, even more so the ties he designed for cricket beneficiaries. He wanted things done properly. And they were. His standards were very high.
Not long after arriving in the south, Charlie became a founder member of the Hampshire Cricket Society and, more recently, swelled the ranks of the next door Dorset Cricket Society.
He was a passionate Saints and Wasps rugby fan - a regular at matches - who loved his tennis and attended all the grand slam tournaments more than once. He led a rich sporting life indeed.
Charlie leaves with cricket incredibly close to his heart. His ashes are to be scattered close to the grave of Thomas Lord in West Meon churchyard ... 22 yards away,
Being a proud Tyke, Charlie was desperate that his son Richard should be eligible to play for the White Rose county, which until 1992 insisted that all its players must have been born within the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire.
So, undeterred, in early April 1970 and with Richard's birth imminent, Charlie and his wife Sue hopped in their family car and steamed the 270-odd miles up the A1 to Harrogate so that he would be eligible for Yorkshire. The story made the national papers!
Richard did play cricket and was a decent batter, albeit on the small side, not for Yorkshire but for Hampshire at U12 and U13 schools’ level, before switching to play a decent level of squash and tennis.
Quality kit
When Sixth Form Colleges were introduced in the mid -1970s, Charlie became disillusioned with teaching and set up his own sports kit clothing company business (Allez), producing high quality cricket/rugby shirts and sweaters, besides supplying countless benefit ties around the sporting circuit.
Suddenly, Southern League cricket clubs smartened up, with players wearing identical uniform shirts and sweaters. Charlie was meticulous in designing coloured sweater trims, even more so the ties he designed for cricket beneficiaries. He wanted things done properly. And they were. His standards were very high.
Not long after arriving in the south, Charlie became a founder member of the Hampshire Cricket Society and, more recently, swelled the ranks of the next door Dorset Cricket Society.
He was a passionate Saints and Wasps rugby fan - a regular at matches - who loved his tennis and attended all the grand slam tournaments more than once. He led a rich sporting life indeed.
Charlie leaves with cricket incredibly close to his heart. His ashes are to be scattered close to the grave of Thomas Lord in West Meon churchyard ... 22 yards away,