HOUGHTON – King Edward VII School lost a legendary former teacher when Christopher John Moffat passed away on the morning of 4 October.
Moffat taught at the school from 1984 until 2004, when he took early retirement.
In a tribute penned by deputy headmaster Simon Thorne, Moffat was described as someone for whom no task or challenge was too difficult.
Moffat was head of Buxton House for many years, as well as head of boarding.
“Chris, as everybody knew him, was a legend in the classroom and was a famous ‘talk and chalk’; his favourite chalk being yellow. [It] was evident on his ever-present blue pants,” said Thorne.
“Nobody dared to not listen in his class, as he was not only a great teacher, but an imposing man at six foot three inches tall, with a deep voice and a wicked set of sideburns.”
He also offered mentorship to many young teachers at the school.
Moffat had a great sense of humour, and could tell the pupils many a story about Africa.
“He was firm but fair in both classroom and hostel,” said Thorne.
A sporting man, Moffat was involved in athletics, cricket, rowing and rugby at Kes.
Within his first year in charge of the school rowing club, the Kes team won the 1986 South African Schools Rowing Championships.
Moffat was also able to coach rugby, from the A team down to the 9th team.
“Nobody could forget his ‘dead ants’ drill and the famous ‘Mashonaland Maul’ when playing in the lower open rugby teams,” said Thorne.
Moffat’s real sporting passion was athletics, and when he took over in 1989 after back-to-back losses at inter-high school athletics meets, Kes won at least 10 inter-high school meets.
“He always admired the middle distance athletes, and believed they were the tough men of the athletics team and the real unsung heroes of the school,” said Thorne.
Moffat joined the Kes staff after teaching at Umtali Boys’ High School, Prince Edward School, and Ellis Robins School in Zimbabwe.
“Kes says goodbye to a teacher, mentor, coach and friend, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family in their time of need,” said Thorne.
