Past Pupils

Derek W Burrell, DL (1942)

Derek Burrell went to Queens' College from Tottenham Grammar School and took firsts in English and History. Whilst at Cambridge he was secretary of the Cambridge United Christian Council and a group leader in the Methodist Society. After teaching in Solihull and at Dollar Academy, Dunblane, he was appointed Headmaster of Truro School at the age of 33. He was an outstanding and popular headmaster. Always most approachable, knowing everyone and caring, especially for the strugglers and the troubled, he ran his school with compassion and simple humanity. His tireless enthusiasm was instrumental in the considerable increase in the size and the range of facilities of the school that had occurred by the time he retired in 1986. In the wider field, he was Vice-Chairman of Luton Industrial College, a frequent broadcaster on Radio and Television, and a member of the BBC's Regional Religious Advisory Council. Derek also served on the South West Council of the Christian Education Movement and the local committee of NCH Action for children and as well as on many other Methodist and educational committees, local and national. A popular and much respected preacher, his life was marked by his total commitment to Christianity and his love for his Church and its Wesleyan heritage. His other powerful loves were literature and learning, music and music making, and Cornwall and its people. His splendid ministry was recognised when he was made Vice-President of the Methodist Conference in 1987. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Cornwall in 1993.

On 10 June, Sir Tim Rice opened Truro School's 250 seat theatre, which has been called the Burrell Theatre after the former Headmaster, the late Derek Burrell who was at TGS 1939 -1944"