AN academic who taught classical languages and literature as well as producing a wide-ranging body of work has died aged 73.

James Morwood, who was an emeritus fellow at Wadham College, produced, either alone or with others, more than 20 books, including teaching manuals and dictionaries.

The classicist, who died in September while swimming in Greece, taught at Oxford University for several years, continuing to support the institution even after he retired in 2003.

Mr Morwood was born in Belfast on November 25, 1943, to parents Kathleen and James.

He attended St John’s School in Leatherhead, Surrey, before reading classics and English at Cambridge University.

Mr Morwood then gained a teaching qualification from Merton College in Oxford and went to teach English and classics at Harrow School in 1966.

He spent 30 years at Harrow, the majority of them as the school’s head of classics, and was deeply involved in school journalism and drama.

In his role at Harrow he worked with the likes of Richard Curtis and Benedict Cumberbatch.

In 1996 Mr Morwood was appointed Grocyn lecturer at Oxford University, in charge of language teaching for the classics faculty, a job he held until 2003.

The post was associated with Wadham College and he is said to have had great success in the role.

During his time at the university, during which he is believed to have lived near Folly Bridge, Mr Morwood was a committed member of the Joint Association of Classical Teachers and was president of the association from 1999 to 2001, becoming an honorary member in 2011.

He was also president of the London Association of Classical Teachers in the mid-1990s.

Though he retired in 2003, he continued as a fellow of Wadham for another three years before later becoming an emeritus fellow.

He continued to help out wherever possible by editing the college Gazette and teaching.

Mr Morwood also continued to produce a string of publications. These books included guides to Greek tragedy, a biography, and multiple textbooks and language guides.

Retirement allowed him to travel widely, to Europe and the US.

Mr Morwood never married. He is survived by his older brother, Bryan, and two nephews.