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Oakham School teacher, craftsman and Royal Artllery Band musician who almost beat chess grandmaster Gary Kasparov dies hours before beloved wife




A married couple who were devoted to each other for almost seven decades passed away within hours of each other earlier this month.

Gerald Botteley, 88, a well-known face and name to generations of musicians at Oakham School and beyond, died in Peterborough Hospital after a hard-fought battle with prostate cancer.

Just eight hours later his wife of 67 years, Florence, 91, passed away at their Oakham home.

Gerald and Florence Botteley celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary
Gerald and Florence Botteley celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary

They leave behind four children - Anthony, Mark, Philip, and Sarah - and six grandchildren.

"They eloped when my father was 21, and I believe he then whisked her away after he died so they could be together again," said daughter Sarah Rudge, one of their four children.

"We didn't tell mum he had died but she twigged. They were so devoted - they couldn't live without each other."

Gerald completed his 50th and final violin in January and named it Florence after his beloved wife
Gerald completed his 50th and final violin in January and named it Florence after his beloved wife

Their funeral service will be held at Braunston Parish Church on Thursday, October 7 at noon, followed by a cremation.

Their ashes will then be scattered on the Malvern Hills where the couple loved to walk.

The area is also renowned as the home of composer Edward Elgar whose music, along with Bach, was a shared passion.

As a craftsman, Gerald worked with one Britain's leading violin makers before turning to teaching at Oakham School
As a craftsman, Gerald worked with one Britain's leading violin makers before turning to teaching at Oakham School

"They were adamant they wanted their ashes mixed together and scattered at British Camp on Malvern Hills," Sarah explained.

"It was a really important place to both of them.

"They wanted to end their lives together flying and dancing around the hills to the music of Elgar."

The couple met while Gerald was serving with the Royal Artillery Band in Woolwich, London, where Florence was head waitress.

"They fell in love almost instantly," said Sarah.

"They only had two shillings and sixpence when they got married, but they worked tirelessly to save money."

Gerald became a violin craftsman at renowned manufacturers Edward Withers in London and eventually went on to repair instruments and teach for the Leicester County School of Music.

He turned down a huge opportunity to become the workshop manager at leading violin makers WE Hill to take the post of head of strings at Oakham School in 1969.

During a 20-year career he also led the school's chamber orchestra and started up the school's chess club, while organising international tournaments.

"When he started at Oakham he didn't have any academic qualifications which was unusual, so felt he always had to work at maximum effort to prove his worth. Two years later he attained his teaching diploma at The Royal College of Music" Sarah added.

"Dad came from a very poor family in Birmingham. It was a constant struggle growing up in the Great Depression, and he didn't want that for his own family.

"He worked incredibly hard, while mum was at home bringing up four children and keeping everything stable at home.

"She made our clothes and was a fantastic cook. She really was a remarkable lady."

Gerald became British Veteran Chess champion in 1994, and once came within a stroke of beating world chess champion Gary Kasparov.

"They met years later and Kasparov went up to him and said 'if only you had taken my pawn," Sarah recalled.

After leaving the school he set up business in the town, and continued to make instruments in retirement and taught at Oundle School while also squeezing in two novels and writing poetry.

Despite living with terminal cancer, Gerald cared for Florence at their home after she suffered a serious fall, returning the favour for a lifetime of care.

He completed his 50th and final violin at the start of this year which he named Florence - a personal and bespoke tribute to his wife.

This. along with several other of his handmade violins, is now played by grandson Joe, a music scholar at St Peter's School, in York.

Many more were given to needy students.

"Dad was a truly generous gentleman and a very positive person - he always said to me 'you get out of life what you put in'," said Sarah.

"His final violin was the most precious of his instruments. It was a tribute to everything my dear mother had done for all of us."



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