My uncle Clive Canton, who has died aged 84, was an educationist, teacher and tireless charity fundraiser.
He was born in Mountain Ash, Glamorgan, to Jack Canton, a headteacher, and his wife, Claudia (nee Jones). Clive went to Mountain Ash grammar school, and graduated in theology from Cardiff University, before gaining a teaching qualification in 1957. He later studied for an MA at King’s College London. As a result he gained a good knowledge of ancient Greek, Latin and Aramaic.
During his national service (1957-59), stationed in Libya, he was responsible for teaching literacy to his fellow servicemen, and also ran and contributed to the weekly army newspaper in Tripoli and wrote plays. He engaged with the local community and learned about its culture and heritage. This experience led him to understand the need to support those living in less fortunate conditions.
He became a teacher of religious studies, as well as politics and government, and in 1960 joined the staff at Cyntwell high school, Ely, Cardiff, where he met Martha Thomas, his future wife, through the school’s sports master, Bill Rogers (my dad), who was married to Martha’s sister, Elizabeth. Later, he became head of religious studies and head of sixth form at Llandrindod high school, Llandrindod Wells, Powys. He also became an examiner for the Welsh Joint Education Committee.
Clive and Martha were fundraisers for Christian Aid for decades. In the 1970s they hosted African Christian Aid workers visiting mid Wales, and organised the annual Christian Aid Week, with “pop up charity shops”, door-to-door collections, miles of pennies through the main street of Llandrindod Wells, lunches, cake, bread and marmalade sales, and many more events.
He acted as lay minister for the parish of Llanyre in the Church in Wales between 1980 and 2000. In his later years he returned with Martha to live in their native south Wales, in Cardiff. They celebrated their golden wedding anniversary this year.
She survives him, as do their two daughters, Jane and Elizabeth, two grandchildren, Evie and Ellie, and a niece and seven nephews, including me.
