FEW cities in the world can match Oxford when it comes to producing the cleverest compilers of crosswords.

And friends and the family of John Chavasse, right, have bid farewell to one of the finest.

Mr Chavasse, from Hayward Road, Oxford, for many years set the crosswords in The Oxford Times.

Mr Chavasse, who died on June 8, aged 87, was born at St Aldate’s Rectory, Oxford, into a distinguished Oxford family. His father Christopher, who competed at the 1908 Olympics in London, became the Bishop of Rochester.

Bishop Chavasse also won fame as the founder of St Peter’s College, Oxford.

Mr Chavasse was educated at the Dragon School, Oxford, then Shrewsbury, before returning to Oxford to read history at St Peter’s.

After graduating, he taught history at Exeter School but arrived back at Oxford to be works manager at the Oxford Mail and Times, where he later became crossword editor.

For 47 years he was married to Mary (nee Vaughan), whom he met at a party at Boars Hill.

Mr Chavasse spent the last three years of his life at the Headington Care Home.

He leaves his wife, three children and seven grandchildren.