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| From The Elizabethan September 2006 | ||
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Kaye was born in Dursley Road, Trowbridge in 1932, first child of Leslie and Evelyn
Townsend. He died tragically in Lusaka, Zambia, beaten to death, his body then being bound
and wrapped and removed to farm land on the outskirts of the city. His body was set alight, but
rains extinguished the fire and he was found the next morning by a farm labourer. Loving
friends searching for him found and identified his body in the Police mortuary. Kaye grew up in a simple family home; his life soon influenced by the rising power of Hitler in Germany. At seven he was, with his younger brother Vivian, and the many children of Britain, involved in the Second World War. Leading his younger brother they "dug for Britain", growing vegetables in their garden to support the family and his father, who went to war as a soldier, ultimately being shipped off to North Africa. Kaye became the senior man of the family whilst the war continued. Schooling was paramount, but the fear of invasion and enemy attack was with both the boys constantly. Their garden flourished and they did many jobs for neighbours. With the War over, education became the focus and their Dad returned home, changed by war; soon a younger sister arrived, Stephanie, followed by another brother, Patrick. Kaye remained very much the "big brother", and has always remained thus. Kaye delivered early morning newspapers to earn money, beginning years of various jobs as he funded himself through Winchester College (now University) and Exeter University to become a qualified Maths teacher. The family were immensely proud of him gaining his degree, and beginning teaching at |
Queen Elizabeth's School in Barnet. He taught there for ten
years and became Head of Mathematics, whilst organising school trips with the other hand, so
to speak! Visits as far afield as Russia took place in the days before today's safety legislation. Then came the big adventure - Zambia; much planned and carefully prepared he set forth in January 1966; this young country boy, undertaking a difficult journey to a whole new world. He loved it, meeting a new neighbour in Mongu at Kambule Secondary School - John Whittingham, who became a life long friend. Kaye flourished and enjoyed the many challenges; eager with new ideas and full of energy. Was he ever still? Our memories are of someone full of determination, enthusiasm and wonder. Many Zambians became friends, getting involved in his many projects, confirming his life's goal - doing what he could to impart his knowledge and skills for the benefit of others. His visits home were full of news of his doings, new friends and colleagues. Lots of names began to have faces as they came back to the UK; a little of his world coming to us. He was always happy and full of energy, eager to be back in Zambia, now his country, as he became a citizen. His parents and his mother's sister visited and fell in love with Zambia too. Niece Diane, and then nephew Paul were born to his brother, Vivian and wife Janet, and then another nephew James born to his sister, Steph, shortly followed by two more nephews Luke and Jake born to his younger brother, Patrick. He became a visiting Uncle supplying lavish presents in the early years of their lives. He funded a trip for James to see "his" Zambia and it will always be to our regret that poor health prevented our visit too. |
Kaye became a rarer visitor to the UK, with the death of his parents, but we kept in touch and
continued to meet members of his Zambian family when he, or they, came to UK. T&T Gym,
and charity work became his new passions. His last visit in 2005 was a happy one and he
managed to see almost everyone, although some of his old Winchester College and Queen
Elizabeth's School friends had died. He attended his friend Eric Shearly's funeral and talked of
nothing but Zambia! We looked forward to seeing him again in 2007, but this was not to be. Kaye's strength was in his energy and determination to get a job done, from war-time garden to obtaining his degree and putting his knowledge into practical use. He loved teaching, he loved the Gym and he loved Zambia and all the friends that he thought of as family. Indeed many benefited from his sponsorship and obtained education. Some have come to UK to train and work, all have succeeded in achieving well and he was so proud of his students He couldn't countenance being ill, and was aggressively proud of his good health record. He would have hated being sick and dependant - at least he has been spared that. Nevertheless he expected to give more, do more and his busy life should not have been so forcibly cut short. We shall never forget him and all his many contributions to education will be his everlasting memorial. It would be wonderful to see his charity flourish and be registered under the auspices of Nelson Mandela. The Townsend Family |
| From The Wiltshire Times, Friday 10th February 2006 | ||
| Hundreds of people attended the funeral of a former Trowbridge man murdered in Zambia. Retired teacher Kaye Townsend, 73, was cremated on Friday in the Zambian capital, Lusaka, which had been his home for the past 40 years. Among the 300 at the service were work colleagues, ex-students and Mr Townsend's sister, Stephanie, who lives in Trowbridge who flew to Zambia to keep track of the murder investigation. A memorial service will be held at St John the Evangelist Church, Frome Road, Trowbridge, at midday on April 1. Mr Townsend, a former head boy at Trowbridge Boys' High School, was strangled before his body was set on fire and dumped at the side of a road between the capital and Lusaka Airport. Police have questioned a man in connection with the murder but no one has been charged. Mr Townsend's family said in a statement to the Wiltshire Times: "Kaye was very much the big brother, and always remained so, even when miles away in Zambia. | Our memories are of someone full of determination, enthusiasm and wonder." Close friend and former neighbour John Whitting- ham, who met Mr Townsend when he moved to Zambia in 1966, said: "Kaye was a very generous man who helped quite a lot of Zambians through their education. He was headmaster at two schools but he wasn't extremely well off. He lost out a bit because of his generosity. "Kaye was a very hard worker and there was a lot of affection for him in Zambia. He always got involved, if you wanted something done then Kaye was the one who would do it." A eulogy, written by Mr Whittingham, was read at the service on Friday. It said: "Kaye's cruel and untimely death has been a great blow to his family and many friends. Kaye was a good and kind friend." Noel Clifford, a friend of Mr Townsend's from his Trowbridge school days, said: "I've spoken to a few people and there's one or two who can | remember him. Everyone is shocked. It's hard to believe." After leaving school Mr Townsend completed his National Service with the Intelligence Corps, learning Russian and working as a translator. He then studied at Winchester College and Exeter University to become a teacher. He took a teaching post at the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School for Boys in Barnet, but moved to Zambia in 1966 where he took up a teaching position at the Kambule Secondary School, Mongu. Two years later he became deputy head and in 1969 took up the role of headmaster at Senanga Secondary School. He finished his career at the International School, in Lusaka, where he was also headmaster. In his retirement Mr Townsend's passions centred on charity work and the T & T Gym, which he started in partnership with a Zambian businessman. |
| From The Times of Zambia 2006 | ||
| ZAMBIA Body Building Federation (ZBBF) vice president, Kelvin Siame has described the death of the federation's general secretary Kaye Townsend who was grisly murdered on Friday as a big loss to the body building fraternity. Siame said the federation had lost a very dedicated man and that it would be very hard to replace him. "Not only was he the director of T & T Gymnasium in the Lusaka showgrounds, but also a cheerful and very hard working general secretary of ZBBF," Siame said. Siame said a passersby discovered Townsend's body in Chamba valley at the weekend after he went missing on Friday. | "I knew Townsend for over 13 years, he worked in different positions in ZBBF and we worked together in the federation for the past four years. He lived a simple life but we don't know why the man was killed in such a way, we are going to miss him so much as an association," he said. Townsend came to Zambia (Senanga) in 1963 where he worked as a secondary school teacher and later came to Lusaka. He headed the Lusaka International School (LIS) before he resigned in 1991 and opened the gymnasium with a business partner. Siame described Townsend, | who worked with ZBBF for 15 years, as a man who loved body building sport and worked together with the body builders. Townsend travelled with the body builders to many countries in the region for various competitions. "Townsend was a very good man, down to earth and was a friend to everyone and very hard working," Siame said. He had a big heart such that he even allowed street kids to use his gymnasium to keep fit. The funeral service will be held on tomorrow, February 3 at Ambassador St Anne's in Lusaka before burial. |