Peter Hodson Obituary

In so many ways, Peter was a perfect role model of a good citizen.  He was always smartly dressed, had perfect manners, always pleased to see people and ready to listen and to advise.  He was interested in what everyone had to offer and was ready to help in any way he could. 

As a Chartered Engineer and businessman, he had skills that could enable him to set up and run committees and clubs like the ‘Talking  Newspaper’ and the Tennis Club.  He was known locally as the church handyman, because he could repair, work and understand most of the technology of the time.

Peter was the kind of governor that every school or academy should have.  He started as parent governor at Ilkeston Grammar School and only retired in 2021, aged 90, nearly 40 years later, because, during lockdown, he couldn’t go into the school and ‘meet for real’.  

Peter’s two grandsons are students of the Academy; Joseph having just left last summer with a raft of GCSE’s and Charlie currently in year 9.  They absolutely adored their grandad and made him very proud.

Peter became Chair of Governors and led the school to become a successful and popular comprehensive school. During those years, he became a valued supporter and true friend of several headteachers.  Coming from an industry background and being a successful engineer, he was able to provide a different perspective on education.  He had great faith in the children of Ilkeston.  He advised without interfering, being a true diplomat and helped the senior leaders of the school through some difficult times.  If there was ever a problem with anything at school, he was very good at networking, sometimes knocking on the doors of local residents or asking questions at local groups to gain information to help the school.

He stepped down from being chair but stayed on as a governor when Bennerley and Ilkeston School merged, becoming Ormiston Ilkeston Enterprise Academy within the Ormiston Academies Trust.

Throughout his life, Peter always got involved, he was pro-active in making his town of Ilkeston a good place to live.  He didn’t make a great song and dance of it; he saw a need and quietly and efficiently addressed it.

Ilkeston was lucky to have had such a wonderful resident and Ilkeston School/Ormiston Ilkeston Enterprise Academy was lucky to have had such a dedicated and talented person as a governor.