Tributes paid to rock art expert with a passion for Northumberland

TRIBUTES have poured in for a former teacher and international rock art expert who has died at the age of 93.

- KRISTY DAWSON

Stan Beckensall with his daughter Sonia Clark

Stan Beckensall, who lived in Hexham, passed away on October 1.

The great-grandad 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-grand-children, 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, said: “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 outpouring with so many lovely comments. As a family, we are really grateful for them.”

Stan was born in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, on August 17, 1932 and was the youngest of seven children. Sadly only four of them reached adulthood and his older brother was a pilot killed in WWII.

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.