Steven Pimlott by Revd Dr Patrick Miller

At Manchester Grammar School, Steven was selected to join some very able linguists to form the first group at the school to study Russian to O level. They had the misfortune to have me as their teacher for the next two years, so I saw him every school day in that time, and occasionally later. Amazing boy! Needless to say he was exceptional and, even then, suave, sophisticated and witty.

As most of the group were significantly smarter than their tutor(s) they presented a daily challenge. This was especially illustrated in the production of Unman, Wittering and Zigo, in which he played one of the tormenting pupils (I was their slowly disintegrating master); this of course enabled him to rehearse his part in the classroom off stage. In both roles his talent was prodigious!

Manchester Grammar School, Warsaw 1967, (Steven is front row 2nd from left)

He came to the Soviet Union in 1967, a memorable visit, being the 50th anniversary of the October revolution. What an astonishing ability and colourful, mature personality he showed! The cliché “privilege to teach” was never truer than in Steven’s case.

Revd Dr Patrick Miller