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Home Sittingbourne News Article
Tributes have poured in for a much-respected former school head who has died.
Bryan Short was the headmaster of Borden Grammar in Sittingbourne for 30 years from 1968 to 1998.
His granddaughter Vicky Meadows has set up an online Remembrance Book page in his honour.
She said: "Many will remember Bryan as the longest serving headmaster of Borden Grammar.
"He was always so passionate about education and helping people reach their academic potential.
"He made many lifelong friends at Borden and was held in the highest esteem by students, teachers and parents of pupils alike.
"Even after retiring he would always speak with great fondness regarding old boys and was always proud to hear of their achievements and success."
"It is no exaggeration to say Bryan was a towering figure in the history of the school and generations of Old Bordenians will have passed through the school under his leadership."
She added: "Bryan was a larger than life character who left an impression on so many people he met. He will be greatly missed by so many, but he will live on by being remembered by all of us."
The Old Bordenian Association paid tribute to Mr Short who was a former president of the organisation.
The association said: "It is no exaggeration to say Bryan was a towering figure in the history of the school and generations of Old Bordenians will have passed through the school under his leadership.
"He embodied much of the school ethos – discipline, tradition and the power of education – and many of us will have strong personal memories of his time at the school and as president of this association."
Former school parents John and Beryl Gibbard said: "We are forever grateful our sons attended Borden under the leadership of Bryan Short. He was an exemplary head, firm, fair, patient. He always had the best interests of the school and pupils at heart."
Philip Rayner said: "I remember Mr Short very clearly. I was at student at Borden from 1971-78. I remember him as a strict man, but a fair one. He taught us about respect for ourselves and others."
John Moore said: "I remember Mr Short very well from when he first arrived at Borden. It was through his hard work that I got through my O-level maths which served me well in my service career. Rest in peace, Sir."
Mr Short was born in Kettering. He read history at Oxford University and did his teaching degree at Cambridge.
He taught in schools in Liverpool, Hove and elsewhere before moving to Sittingbourne to take up the Borden headship.
On his retirement he was asked to open the school's new classroom block, named after him as the Short Building.
Outside of school, he was interested in history and politics and was also a devout Christian. He was a lay preacher at Borden Church.
He continued to live in the area until his death on Wednesday to cancer after a short illness. He was 87.
Mr Short was married for 40 years to his French-born wife Jeannine and the couple had three children, Jane, Richard and Helen, and five grand-children, Stephen, Vicky, Emma, Christopher and Rory.
Stephen said of his grandfather: "He was an eccentric, larger than life character, who loved spending time with his family. He was like a third parent to me and my sister."
