Stan Beckensall who lived in Hexham, Northumberland, passed away on October 1
Tributes have poured in for a former teacher and international rock art expert who has died at the age of 93. Stan Beckensall, who lived in Hexham, Northumberland, passed away on October 1.
The great-granddad was a teacher for most of his life. He fell in love with Northumberland after relocating for a job and became fascinated with the county's prehistoric rock art.
Stan, who had four children, seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, was given an MBE for his services to Prehistoric Rock Art and History in Britain as well as an honorary doctorate from Newcastle University for his contribution to the study of British rock art.
Stan's eldest daughter Sonia Clark, 67, told ChronicleLive: "I'm going to miss him, we're all going to miss him. He was such a lovely, kind, compassionate man and clearly that rang out to everybody else that he came into contact with.
"I knew he was a popular guy but it has shocked me how much love and sympathy has come pouring in. There's been a massive outpour with so many lovely comments. As a family, we are really grateful for them."
Stan was born in Burslem in Stoke-on-Trent on August 17, 1932 and he was the youngest of seven children. Sadly only four of them reached adulthood and his older brother was a pilot killed in World War II.
He won a bursary to study English and History at Keele University in Staffordshire as it was opening and became the first male to graduate from the university in 1954.
Stan then completed his national service as a flying officer at Swanton Morley Airfield in Norfolk and met his wife Jane, 87, at a dance there in December 1956. They moved to Crawley, West Sussex, when Stan got a teaching job at Ifield Grammar School and they had three of their children - Sonia, Sylvia and Julian.
When Julian was a few months old, Stan was offered a teaching post at St Joseph Boys School in Malta and the family moved abroad. They spent two years in Malta before returning to the UK and moving to Northumberland in 1966.
Stan worked at Alnwick Teacher Training College in Alnwick and they lived in Felton where they had another daughter Rachel.
Sonia, who lives in Alnwick, said: "They eventually moved to Hexham in 1977. Alnwick Teacher Training College closed down so dad got teaching posts at Corbridge Middle School and Belford School before settling at Rothbury Middle School, where he became the head teacher. He was there until he retired.
"His passion for Northumberland really did shine out. Both my parents absolutely loved Northumberland. They were very settled there.
"When the teacher training college closed they considered going to the Solomon Islands and Australia but they decided they would stay put. They didn't want to live anywhere else!
"I came across some testimonials and letters that my dad treasured all his life and they were all saying the same thing - that he was hard-working, well liked by colleagues and students, fair and kind and that sums my dad up really. He was a very kind and compassionate man. He was a lovely dad, he was very supportive of us as children."
Sonia said that Stan became fascinated by prehistoric rock art when he moved to Northumberland. The mum-of-three said: "They are circles and lines usually in prominent places on the side of hills. Nobody knows what they mean or what they're for. My dad would always be honest and say 'I don't know and we probably never will know'.
"He found it fascinating. He became more and more of an expert and then started writing books about it. That drew a lot of attention to the point where he was given an honorary doctorate by Newcastle University."
Stan was was awarded his honorary doctorate in 2004 after taking part in a two-year project to build a website which contained all of his research. He was handed his MBE at Buckingham Palace in London in 2019.
Sonia said he supported a lot of charities, including Tynedale Hospice At Home, and was a member of Hexham Abbey. She said: "A lot of people will know him by his brightly coloured jumpers that he used to wear around Hexham, my mother knitted them. He absolutely loved Hexham Abbey and was down there every day for his lunch and to meet up with friends."
Stan's funeral will be held at Hexham Abbey at 10am on Friday, October 10. Anybody is welcome to attend and a video link will be available for those unable to make it in person.
The family has asked for donations to Tynedale Hospice At Home instead of flowers.
Sonia added: "My niece Kayla has done the vast majority of caring for him in the weeks and months before his death, she's been absolutely fantastic. Dad supported Tynedale Hospice At Home for many years and they have supported him in return.
"I'd also like to thank all the staff at Sele Medical Group Hexham - receptionists, doctors and nurses - for their tremendous support and kindness at this difficult time."
Aron Mazel, 69, moved from South Africa to Haydon Bridge in 2002 to help Stan create the Northumberland rock art website for Newcastle University and they became close friends.
Archaeologist Aron, who acted as a project manager, said: "He went to the The Museum of Antiquities at the university and asked them to put his pictures on a CD. The university spoke to the archaeology department about what he wanted and they came up with a proposal. They applied for a grant to open a website which was open and accessible to everyone.
"At the time it was the largest regional rock art website in the world and it carried his name. It ran for 10 years and it was extremely successful."
Aron said Stan began researching Northumberland rock art in his spare time after finding his first carving in Old Berwick. He said: "He did it all unfunded. He just went for it, he had an incredible interest in it.
"He was passionate about sharing it with other people. He gave probably more public lectures than anyone else in the North East on the topic.
"He was a very compassionate man and very interesting. He could talk to anybody.
"We worked hard but we had a lot of fun. We got on really well and we stayed in contact right through.
"When I was told that he had passed I was hugely sad. He was a wonderful man. He was one of a kind."