ANTON BANTOCK (1933-2015)

ANTON BANTOCK MBE Teacher, world traveller, artist and tireless charity worker Anton Bantock MBE has died at the age of 82 while in Jordan. His home was in Queen’s Road, Withywood, Bristol, where he set up the University of Withywood in his bungalow to provide community activities, fun and charity fund-raising events attended by hundreds of people. Born David Delius Anton Bantock in Barnt Green, near Birmingham in 1933, his grandfather composer Sir Granville Bantock was a friend of the English composer Frederick Delius. Until he started school he was known as David, but there were another six Davids in the class, so he was called Anton from then on. He was the second child six of Raymond and Margaret Bantock and grew up in Barnt Green, Worcestershire. After National Service with the Royal Horse Artillery he went to New College, Oxford where he gained a degree in History and started teaching, first at New College Choir School then Guthlaxton School, Leicester. In 1960 he moved to the West Country to be among the first staff at Bedminster Down Secondary School, where he stayed for 27 years. He was well liked by his pupils, if a little eccentric at times, and one of the routines he established was issuing a daily ‘password’ – giving rise to the phrase “What’s the password today, Bill?” (Bill Bantock was his nickname among pupils). He lived in Wells until 1962 and then moved to Withywood. He rode his bicycle and used public transport whenever he went travelling in the world, sometimes leaving as the school bell rang on the last day of the summer term, and not returning until the day before the new term started. Once, due to an air strike, he was stranded in Australia in early September and phoned the school to tell them that, on the day they went back, he was enjoying a swim in an isolated billabong! Another time he arrived back with his head shaved after being questioned by the KGB in Russia. He was a skilled artist taking a sketch book everywhere. His drawings and illustrations have been used for a wide variety of published books and have formed the basis of many exhibitions in UK, Germany and France. Also some of his sketches and travel letters about his adventures abroad were turned into books to raise charity funds. During the 1970s he formed an after-school local history club. This developed into the Malago Society in 1978, and it is still going strong capturing for posterity the history of South Bristol, holding weekly events and publishing 70 editions of a twice-yearly magazine. Anton decided to take early retirement from Bedminster Down School in 1987 and became a prolific speaker and lecturer, channelling donations received to help young people in developing countries whom he had come to know during his years of travel. His repertoire extended to over 70 topics. As well as providing varied and interesting events for local people to take part in, including musical shows, walks, debates and entertainment, the University raised funds to sponsor education projects in developing countries. Often his little bungalow would be crowded to capacity for summer shows in the garden, where a stage was created or a group would be gathered by the log fire on cold winter nights for discussions and debates. During this time he also organised trips to a shared cottage in Harlech, North Wales for disadvantaged people and individuals who needed a break in the Welsh countryside. In 1995 the University of Withywood became a registered charity and over the next twenty years, raised almost £260,000 for the education of young people in Third World countries. The charity was closed in 2014 as Anton’s health declined but continues as a Sponsorship Fund. The charity had many successes including the funding of a tuition and tailoring centre in India, a medical clinic in Ghana and a school in Cameroon. He also helped to fund the education of hundreds of individuals who have become architects, doctors, teachers and medical specialists. In October 2003 Anton received an MBE from the Queen, for services to the community, especially education in south Bristol. The range of Anton Bantock’s activities were described as “extraordinary” when he was awarded an Honorary Degree by the University of Bristol in 2010. He was equally amused to be named as one of Britain’s top 100 eccentrics in The Daily Mail. A committed Christian, who subscribed to no particular church, he was devoted to helping others during his teaching career and retirement, encouraging others to follow his example. His many random acts of kindness were legendary and repaid by his “trust in providence” – a belief that needs will always be met if you do the right thing. He had a large worldwide 'family’ and a circle of friends in his local community of South Bristol, who will miss a truly irreplaceable character.