Local cricket has said its farewells to Peter Lewin, the former Bellemoor schoolmaster who managed scores of Hampshire Schools’ teams for over three decades from the Sixties onwards.
He died recently after a long illness, aged 83 years.
Highfield Church was packed as former colleagues and numerous cricketers who had played for his county Under-13, Under-14 and Under-15 sides paid their respects during a celebration of Peter’s life.
A graduate of St Luke’s College, Exeter, Peter Lewin taught at Bellemoor School in Southampton, where spent his career teaching geography – and, naturally, taking charge of cricket !
An old boy of St Mary’s College, Bitterne and later an Old Simmarian, Peter was introduced to county schools cricket in the 1960s by Cyril Cooper, then the General Secretary of ESCA and Manager/Secretary of the HSCA U15s.
Remarkably, he ran three county schools representative teams – the U13, 14 and 15 sides for 30 years or more, and became a selector/manager for the West of England.
The likes of Tim Tremlett, Adrian Aymes, John Barnard, Dominic Carson, Ian Chivers, Paul Draper, Dave Hacker, Martin Kellaway, Tim Ludlow, Terry Morton, Chris Thomason and Simon Williams were just some of the pupils who became representative cricketers under his watchful eye.
Tremlett, who later went on to join the county staff at Northlands Road and play over 400 times for Hampshire, recalled: “I was at Bellemoor in the late Sixties and early 1970s. Peter was the Manager of the Southampton Schools and Hampshire Schools Under 13 & Under 15 XI’s at this time and this continued through the 1980’s.
“The scheduling of fixtures and arranging of accommodation and transport would have taken up an enormous amount of his time in addition to his job as a Geography teacher.
“We were particularly lucky back then as dedicated teachers took time out to hold coaching sessions and matches after school.
“This is sadly lacking today as youngsters are encouraged to join local clubs rather than participate in after school activities.
“I remember Peter playing for Southampton Cricket Club, who played their home matches at Studland Road, Southampton, with the team comprising mainly teachers and young school cricketers.
“One of the young players, Lee Desty, who also attended Bellemoor School, was until just over a year ago the Editor of the BBC’s South Today programme.”
The school summer holidays always started with the U15 tour to the West Country. Peter then liked to drive off to the Alps for a week to recuperate !
Trojans opening batsman Simon Williams recalled: “He took me up and down the country for four years in his gleaming white Audi.
“I also went on the West Country tour; every journey bar none we would stop at a little chef for a jubilee pancake!
”He gave a lot during his summer holidays ferrying players to all parts.”
All-day declaration games were the order of the day. On tour, Peter reckoned the chances of victory were greatly increased - if he was able to complete the Telegraph crossword by lunch.
Somewhat shy and quiet, Peter was nevertheless a very good judge of a cricketer.
A generation of Hampshire and Isle of Wight schoolboy cricketers owe their opportunity to him.
He died recently after a long illness, aged 83 years.
Highfield Church was packed as former colleagues and numerous cricketers who had played for his county Under-13, Under-14 and Under-15 sides paid their respects during a celebration of Peter’s life.
A graduate of St Luke’s College, Exeter, Peter Lewin taught at Bellemoor School in Southampton, where spent his career teaching geography – and, naturally, taking charge of cricket !
An old boy of St Mary’s College, Bitterne and later an Old Simmarian, Peter was introduced to county schools cricket in the 1960s by Cyril Cooper, then the General Secretary of ESCA and Manager/Secretary of the HSCA U15s.
Remarkably, he ran three county schools representative teams – the U13, 14 and 15 sides for 30 years or more, and became a selector/manager for the West of England.
The likes of Tim Tremlett, Adrian Aymes, John Barnard, Dominic Carson, Ian Chivers, Paul Draper, Dave Hacker, Martin Kellaway, Tim Ludlow, Terry Morton, Chris Thomason and Simon Williams were just some of the pupils who became representative cricketers under his watchful eye.
Tremlett, who later went on to join the county staff at Northlands Road and play over 400 times for Hampshire, recalled: “I was at Bellemoor in the late Sixties and early 1970s. Peter was the Manager of the Southampton Schools and Hampshire Schools Under 13 & Under 15 XI’s at this time and this continued through the 1980’s.
“The scheduling of fixtures and arranging of accommodation and transport would have taken up an enormous amount of his time in addition to his job as a Geography teacher.
“We were particularly lucky back then as dedicated teachers took time out to hold coaching sessions and matches after school.
“This is sadly lacking today as youngsters are encouraged to join local clubs rather than participate in after school activities.
“I remember Peter playing for Southampton Cricket Club, who played their home matches at Studland Road, Southampton, with the team comprising mainly teachers and young school cricketers.
“One of the young players, Lee Desty, who also attended Bellemoor School, was until just over a year ago the Editor of the BBC’s South Today programme.”
The school summer holidays always started with the U15 tour to the West Country. Peter then liked to drive off to the Alps for a week to recuperate !
Trojans opening batsman Simon Williams recalled: “He took me up and down the country for four years in his gleaming white Audi.
“I also went on the West Country tour; every journey bar none we would stop at a little chef for a jubilee pancake!
”He gave a lot during his summer holidays ferrying players to all parts.”
All-day declaration games were the order of the day. On tour, Peter reckoned the chances of victory were greatly increased - if he was able to complete the Telegraph crossword by lunch.
Somewhat shy and quiet, Peter was nevertheless a very good judge of a cricketer.
A generation of Hampshire and Isle of Wight schoolboy cricketers owe their opportunity to him.
