Anthony Robin Pelvin was b: 25 Jul 1940 in Waimate the first of three sons born to parents Herbert Valentine Pelvin (1910-1997) and mother Alice Craig (1912 -1963). Tony passed away peacefully at the Dunedin Ross Home on February 24th 2019 aged 78 ears.

Tony mar: Moira Jeanette Sim in 1969 and their three sons are Gareth, Craig and Richard.

Tony became a new entrant at 25 Jul 1945 and briefly attended Waimataitai School before 17 Sep 1945 he transferred to Timaru Main and his secondary education at Timaru Boys High followed. He enrolled at Canterbury University achieving his B.A. 1962 and the following year, 1963, was awarded MA(Hons). then Christchurch Teachers College training followed. The young man, Tony Pelvin arrived in Dunedin in February 1964 to begin teaching - a career which spanned 32 years at Kings High School.

Kings in the early 60's was a very different place to education today. The year began with "Barracks Week" - military training for all the pupils - boys wore caps to and from school, staff moved from classroom to classroom while the pupils stayed in one room; discipline was enforced with the cane - probably used much and too frequently for even for the most trivial offences; lesson periods were 40 minutes long instead of an hour.

Tony remembered vividly his first assembly, where the Rector proudly announced that a senior staff member (Mr Rod Williams after whom the "Williams Room" is named) had been awarded the M.B.E. in the New Year Honours List - and he wondered just what august institution he had blundered into.

Tony enjoyed his involvement in sport, and will be forever remembered by those who were taught or associated with him as a central figure over the next 30 years coaching cricket - umpiring, managing and administrating innumerable games. He also was involved in Rugby until 1976 when the winter sport was finally abandoned because of other commitments - for him - cricket remained his first love

Latin was his main teaching subject and in addition taught French and English. In the mid 70's, he became interested in Japanese and studied this through Massey University for two years before beginning to teach it as part of the language studies course in the third form.

Src: Kings High School Magazine 1989;

Tony noticed many changes in his years at King's. Of those who taught here when he first started, he and two others, Ross Gillanders and George Tofield, remained by 1989. Also over the years, the physical appearance of the school changed markedly as well, especially on the Queen's side and round the tennis courts, now had a proliferation of relocatable classrooms.

Another major interest which gave him a great deal of pleasure over his last few years was his involvement with the school's "It's Academic" team. Tony was a regular member of the staff team at the Mornington Tavern Quiz, this activity suited his range of interests and could, with his "magpie" mind retain all sorts of arcane trivia.

Tony was asked if he found the round of school routine a little boring after this lengthy time spent at one school to which he replied "Each year you find yourself meeting a different group of individuals - all different, and individually, provide a diverse challenge".

Moira Pelvin