Anton Bantock - The Early Years
David Delius Anton Bantock was born in Barnt Green, near Birmingham in 1933. He was called David as his father was reading David Copperfield to his mother at the time and his other names were chosen because of his father’s admiration of Anton Chekov and his grandfather's friendship with Frederick Delius (Anton's godfather). Until he started school he was known as ‘David’, but there was another David in the class, so he was called Anton from then on. He was the second child of Raymond and Margaret Bantock.
The family were on holiday in Harlech, North Wales when war broke out in September 1939 and they stayed there until 1942 when the raids on Birmingham ceased. His mother started a small school for children evacuated from London and also began a very popular Girl Guide Company. She was a composer and the story of her music and life can be seen on the video Margaret More and her Music. For details please click here.
His first school was in Bromsgrove and he later passed the entrance exam to King Edward’s School, Birmingham. In 1951 Gunner D D A Bantock 22449048 started his two years’ National Service with the Royal Horse Artillery spending time in Shropshire, Wiltshire and Osnabrück, Germany. Among other things he worked in the battery office typing battery orders.
After demobilisation he went to New College, Oxford where he gained a degree in History and started his teaching career at the New College Choir School where, as well as history, he taught geography, English, Latin, scripture, drama, mental arithmetic and cricket! He earned £400 per year.
In 1958 he went to teach at Guthlaxton School, Leicester and stayed there until 1960 when he moved to the West Country to start his 27 years teaching at Bedminster Down Secondary School. He lived in Wells until 1962 and then moved to Bishopsworth.