A daughter has paid loving tribute to a former head teacher known for his dry sense of humour and love of poetry.

Oswald Thomas Jones, who became the first head master of Richard Challoner School, New Malden, in 1959, died at his daughter Marolyn Cogswell’s home in Edinburgh last week, aged 94.

Born in Newport, Wales, he moved to Cheam in Surrey, with wife Lucy, when he took charge of the school on Manor Drive North, staying until his retirement in 1977.

During his tenure the railway inspector’s son became famous for his entertaining wit- he once remarked to a parent that “disco kids rarely make academic records”.

Extracts from Mr Jones public addresses were often quoted in the Surrey Comet and in 1968 a phrase from one of these speeches made the Sunday Times quote of the week.

It read: “I feel that we will have attained a great deal if we have succeeded in producing men who are dignified in dungarees.”

Despite his skill as a public oratory his daughter remembers him as a quiet private man.

She said: “He had a wonderfully dry sense of humour that really came to life when he spoke publicly. He had a love of puns and was very keen on word play.

“But in private he was a very quiet sort of man who found comfort in silence and enjoyed time alone for reflection.

“His greatest passion was education. He saw potential in all the boys under his care and wanted to give them the best start in life.”

A keen poet in his younger years, upon his retirement he once again took up the pen to document his global travels which included trips to Brazil, China and Japan.

Mrs Cogswell said: “Even in the week before he died his mind was still sharp and he was talking about plans to write. He had a tremendous love of the written word and expressing himself through poetry.”

Texts of Mr Jones speeches and his retirement poems were brought together in a book published to mark the school’s Golden Jubilee two years ago.

On the book, A Head of His Time, current director of sixth form studies Chris Doran said: “The book is a precious record of Oswald Jones’ talents as educator and wordsmith; his distilled wisdom, deep faith, and dry humour; and an eloquent testimony to his loving devotion to his family and friends."

Friends and family gathered for Mr Oswald’s funeral in Edinburgh last week.

The school plan to hold a memorial service sometime in the New Year.