Eric Wollaston

We are sad to announce the death of Eric Wollaston. A retired minister and academic with a love of history and politics, Eric passed away on 8 August 2024 at the age of 91.

Born in Surbiton to Maurice, a radio technician, and May, a cook and housekeeper, Eric was the first in his family to go to university, who were immensely proud of his first-class degree.  

A close-knit community at King’s

Part of a group of 20 History students, Eric enjoyed the fellowship and community King’s offered him. During his undergraduate years, he joined the ecumenical Student Christian Movement. He particularly enjoyed attending the group’s Swanwick conferences. It was here that he met his wife, Oenone (who was studying Medicine at Queen Mary College London at the time).

Eric returned to King’s to do a master’s degree after two years of National Service in the Royal Artillery, choosing the Irish Nationalist Movement 1886-1908 for the subject of his thesis.

 A passion for politics

Eric was keenly interested in politics throughout his life, serving as a local government councillor in Fulham in the 1960s and later standing as a parliamentary candidate for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

During the 1970s, Eric was Chief Examiner for A-level Political Studies in Northern Ireland, setting students thought-provoking questions such as ‘what kind of person has a chance of becoming Prime Minister?’.

From education to ordination

A common thread throughout Eric’s career was adult education. He worked in the Birmingham University Extra Mural Studies Department, before moving to the Bolton Institute of Higher Education. He was instrumental in setting up degree courses for full and part-time students as Head of Humanities and Community Studies. He respected the commitment of mature students and was keen to encourage those who did not have the advantage of a privileged family background.

A committed Christian since his student days, Eric left academia in his 50s to become ordained as a Minister in the United Reformed Church. His last paid job was as a hospital chaplain in Withington Hospital in Manchester, where he became interested in how society treats older people. In retirement, he made gerontology (the scientific study of the ageing process) the main subject of his reading and research.

A fount of knowledge

Eric shared his considerable knowledge of modern history with a loyal following at the local branch of the University of the Third Age, giving lectures on topics such as British Prime Ministers, American Presidents, and his own memories of growing up in the Second World War.

When he didn’t have his nose buried in a book, Eric enjoyed sports coverage on the radio and television – Test Match Special cricket being a favourite. For many years he held a family season ticket at Old Trafford. Travel was another keen interest of Eric’s. He enjoyed holidays all over the UK and abroad with his family of four children and later in life.

Eric’s mind remained sharp to the end. He kept up with current affairs, despite the constraints imposed by physical frailty. Staff at the nursing home where he spent the last months of his life described him as ‘a fount of knowledge’.

Our thoughts go out to Eric’s family at this time. We would like to thank Helen Wollaston, Eric’s daughter, for providing the details for this obituary.