THE headmaster who ran Josca’s independent preparatory school for more than three decades has died aged 81.

Tony Savin initially joined the school part-time to coach cricket while he was at university.

When he finished his degree in 1957 he joined the Headington school as a full-time member of staff teaching Geography, French and Games.

By 1963 he was headmaster and five years later faced his first challenge when the school was told it would have to leave its Latimer Road site as it was going to be sold.

Once the parents had agreed Josca’s should keep going, Mr Savin searched high and low for a new site, before coming across Frilford House in Frilford, near Abingdon.

After borrowing £11,000 from family and friends he bought the house with two acres of land for £16,500. The school belonged to Mr Savin for a fortnight.

During his tenure the school expanded both in size and in the number of pupils it taught.

A new £7,000 multi-purpose hall was added in 1971 and opened by Sir Kenneth Weir, Rector of Exeter College, and more than 10 acres of land was bought next to its playing field in 1977.

In 1997 it merged with independent Abingdon School to become Abingdon Preparatory School. Mr Savin retired in 1999.

Anthony Savin was born on April 25, 1932, in Blackheath, London.

His parents then moved to Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, and he attended Lord Williams’s Grammar School in Thame before going to University College, Oxford, to study Geography.

It was during his time at Oxford that he became involved in Josca’s when he gave a lift to John Clotworthy, who already worked there and mentioned that the school was looking for a cricket coach.

Mr Savin volunteered and this began his lengthy association with the school In 1958 he married Gillian Blunt, who served as school secretary at Josca’s.

Mr Savin died on July 15 and is survived by his wife and his four children Linda, Elizabeth, Michael and Katherine, and nine grandchildren.

A private cremation service took place at Oxford Crematorium on July 23.