My older brother, Cecil Poynton, who has died aged 93, was a primary school teacher in Chirk, near Wrexham, and in nearby Pentre, for more than 35 years, mostly teaching pupils in year 6, and charged with preparing them for secondary education.
Cecil was born in Chirk, to May (nee Halman), a domestic servant, and Harry Poynton, a miner. The local doctor declared the tiny baby “not viable”, but tender care from the district nurse and parents ensured that he survived – and prospered. Football was the young Cecil’s passion, though austerity made it difficult to acquire both ball and boots. When he did get boots, he wore them to bed. Harry and May were determined that a miner’s life would not be for Cec, and after attending Llangollen county school (now Dinas Bran school), at the age of 17 he went to train as a teacher at Bangor Normal College.
