Alf Peacock, or to give him his full title, Dr Alfred James Peacock of Holgate Road, York, died at home in January, 2004.
Born at Histon in Cambridgeshire, Alf trained as an electrician before being awarded a scholarship to Ruskin College, Oxford in his early twenties. He also studied at Southampton and the London School of Economics. From 1960 he was warden of the York Educational Settlement until its closure in 1987.
Living next door to his work and only 250 yards from his favourite pub ‘The Fox’ in Holgate Road, he spent his retirement years researching and writing numerous works, notably a study of the life of the ‘notorious’ George Hudson the Railway King. Passionately interested in WW1 he was for many years the Chairman of the York Branch of the Western Front Association and editor of the occasional magazine ‘Gun Fire’.
Despite a busy professional life he was also an experienced magistrate and chairman of the Licensing Bench, in contrast a lifelong jazz enthusiast who often entertained jazz musicians at his home when they played in York. At his funeral, the music was by Bob Crosby and his Bobcats. Alf will be long remembered both as a warm personality and man of letters.
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