FORMER long-serving headmaster of St Bartholomew’s School at Royal Wootton Bassett, William George Tuckett, 90, was remembered by a large congregation in the parish church.

Mr Tuckett'’s life, packed with interest shone with love for his family, and he gained great joy from his sons, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Born in Exeter on the June 3 1929, he had a happy childhood with one brother, in Devon, where he sang in a church choir, was local show secretary and founder chairman of Teign Valley and Tiverton Young Conservatives.

Mr Tuckett’s Royal Air Force service began with a year as a radar mechanic at Yatesbury. He re-trained as an Education Acting Sergeant, and taught at RAF Mountbatten in Plymouth before being posted to the Berlin airlift station to run education departments in Schleswigland and Hamburg.

On demob in 1949 Mr Tuckett studied at St Luke’s Teacher training college, played hockey, rugby and cricket, and sang in the choir which he loved.

During his first teaching post in Somerset, he met Ro, his future wife, at a hockey club dance, and they were married in 1955.

Their sons Ian and Philip were born during six happy years at Nether Stowey, where Mr Tuckett was a church warden, captain of the village cricket club and a leading player in amateur dramatic shows.

He was head of geography at a secondary school in Bridgwater before moving to Wootton Bassett, in 1961, initially for three years as a class teacher at the old Church of England primary school, then in Station Road. He was appointed headmaster in 1964.

Family tributes praised Mr and Mrs Tuckett as a wonderful team who provided such help, encouragement, fun and parental support.