Maurice Wigham died at his daughter's home on January 2nd, just short of his 80th birthday. The bicentenary year of Newtown School, Waterford, of which he was headmaster from 1961 to 1978, had begun; his history of the school was in the press. The sense of loss felt by his friends and by his family is greatly sharpened by the fact that he has not lived to see the publication of this work, nor to take part in the school's celebrations.
A lifelong and active Quaker, he was one of the foremost interpreters of his faith in 20th-century Ireland. His spiritual principles and gifted way with words gave authority to his writings, which included the valued book The Irish Quakers: a short history of the Religious Society of Friends in Ire- land, published in 1992. From 1984 to 1986 he served as Clerk of Ireland Yearly Meeting and filled many other positions in the society.
Maurice was educated in his early years at Rathgar Junior School at Newtown. Here he met Anna Jacob, a member of an old-established Waterford Quaker family, whom he was later to marry. He went on to Bootham School, York, and then to study agricultural science at TCD, where his father, Joseph T. Wigham, was professor of pathology. After graduation, he taught agriculture at St Columba's before moving to Newtown in 1956 with Anna and their family.
Appointed headmaster in 1961, he ran the school on liberal and child-centred principles, characteristic of earlier headmasters such as Arnold Marsh, John Brigham and William Glynn, though perhaps more informally. In spite of his workload, his outstanding quality was his approachability.
Tall in build and of striking appearance, he had no grain of self-regard in his nature. He loved to escape from his desk to be with his pupils or his children. The seniors admired his skill as a batsman or on the hockey pitch; with the juniors he would go snowballing when the occasion offered. Like a schoolboy, he could be seen tight-roping on the kerb of the "All-Weathers" as he made his way to school. The shy child and the malefactor alike found in him a friend, and, if need be, a champion.
Under him, Newtown virtually doubled in size. This was owing in part to the closure of Bishop Foy School, many of whose pupils transferred to Newtown. His concern for the interests and sensitivities of this group made it easy for them to give him their loyalty.
Maurice's leadership qualities were particularly evident at times of potential crisis, such as the fire in the boys' dormitory block in 1966. When feelings were running high because of Bloody Sunday, his calm exposition of Christian principles, to the staff and to the pupils, made an abiding impression. The self-deprecating gentleness of his nature, buttressed by strong convictions, constituted a personality of rare quality, and won for him both respect and affection.
When he retired in 1978, Maurice and Annna built a house in the country near Waterford, where they were able to pursue their enthusiasm for gardening and plants. Trained as a scientist, Maurice was also widely read in English 17th-century and Quaker history, and in the classic novel. He had a lifelong interest in poetry, but was unduly modest about his own.
Anna's death in 1991 was a heavy blow, but he continued his work with the support of their family and his sister. He did important work in preserving and classifying the Newtown archives, and completed his bicentary history, due to be launched by Professor Roy Foster, himself an "old scholar", on February 6th.
In spite of his many achievements, it is Maurice's qualities of friendliness, modesty and integrity which are foremost in the memories of his friends. His distinction of character shone out clearly to all who knew him, and whose warm sympathy goes out to his children, Ken, Johnny, Rachel, and Billy, to his grandchildren, and to his sister Barbara. B.L.M.