For Staff

The funeral will be at Pontefract Crematorium, Wakefield Road, Pontefract, WF8 4HA. In tribute to John’s memory, the flag will be flown at half-mast on the Parkinson Building that day.

Mr Jones's obituary can be found here.

Dr Allen Royle
We are very sorry to let members know that Dr Allen Royle, former Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mining and Mineral Engineering, died on 16 August 2013.

Having served with distinction in World War II, when he was chosen to join a secret commando unit set up by Ian Fleming, Dr Royle read Mining at Leeds.  Graduating in 1950, he went on to hold a number of senior mining appointments, principally in Africa.  He developed a keen interest in the application of statistics to mining problems such as the evaluation of ore reserves, and, in 1970, returned to Leeds as a Lecturer (he was made Senior Lecturer in 1978), when Professor Peter Young was seeking to establish mining geostatistics as a key facet of the Department’s activities.  Dr Royle went on to acquire an international reputation in the theory and application of geostatistics and was in regular demand as a consultant and guest speaker.  He retired from his University post in 1989 but continued for several years thereafter to participate in the MSc programme which he had been instrumental in establishing, whilst also remaining active in his consultancy work.

The funeral service will be held at 1pm on Thursday 5 September 2013, at Oakley Wood Crematorium, Bishops Tachbrook, Leamington Spa, CV33 9QP.  The flag on the Parkinson Building will be flown at half mast on that day, in Dr Royle’s memory.

A full obituary will be prepared.

Mr Charles Fenton OBE, JP, Dip Text Ind, FTI, Hon FCGI
We are very sorry to report the death, on 22 August 2013, of Mr Charles Fenton, former Chairman of Convocation and member of the Court and the Council.

Born in 1931, Mr Fenton graduated from the University with a Diploma in Textile Industries in 1952.  The son of Sir William Fenton, MC, JP, a Yorkshire industrialist, he later took over the family business, Fenton Holdings, from his father.  He also served as Chairman of United Brake, another family business which was involved in the manufacture of brake discs, and held a number of non-executive directorships.

High Sheriff of West Yorkshire in 1981, Mr Fenton was awarded an OBE in 1982.  He was also a JP, a Fellow of the Textile Institute, an Honorary Fellow of the City & Guilds of London Institute, and a Vice-President of Yorkshire CCC.

Within the University, Mr Fenton was extensively involved with Convocation, serving as both committee member and Chairman.  He represented Convocation on the Court from 1984 to 1990 and again from 1994 to 2001; and was a Convocation representative on the Council between 1990 and 1994.  He was a source of wise counsel on all the bodies on which he served.  He was also a staunch supporter and generous benefactor of Devonshire Hall, serving on the Hall Council for over forty years.

Mr Fenton is survived by his son, Nigel.

The funeral service will be held at 11.30am on Tuesday 3 September 2013, at St John the Baptist Church, Coley, Coley Road, Halifax, HX3 7SA.  The service will be followed by private cremation.  There are to be family flowers only but donations may be made to the Dewsbury and District League of Friendship for Disabled Persons c/o B J Melia and Sons, 64 Gibbet Street, Halifax, HX1 5BP.