Originally Published 27 November 2001

Tom Stone, the University’s Senior Tutor, retired at the end of September. Tom was one of the first academics to be appointed to the new University of Warwick in the 1960s. He started off as an Assistant Lecturer in Molecular Sciences in 1965, and later taught in the Department of Chemistry and the Faculty of Education. He was appointed Senior Tutor in 1986.

In his role as Senior Tutor, Tom combined strong common sense with a deep commitment to students seeking his help or that of his counselling staff. His individual ‘no nonsense’ approach to problems often enabled him to meet the needs of students when other avenues had failed. His sense of fairness, honed by his duties as a magistrate — he was a former Chairman of the Coventry Bench – was apparent whenever he dealt with students’ problems, particularly when he represented them at disciplinary tribunals. All of his colleagues and friends have enjoyed Tom’s unique sense of humour, his mordant wit and the avuncular nature that endeared him to us all.

We hope that retirement will give Tom the leisure to pursue his particular interests: modern art (many more trips to the art galleries of Europe are envisaged!), theatre, architecture, opera, jazz and, of course, Coventry City Football Club.