Robert Sutherland Abbott was born in Newcastle-upon Tyne on the 9th of November 1918. In his late teens, after matriculating, he moved to Leeds where he met new friends. During this time he became known as Paul, a name which he adopted for the rest of his life.
When the second world war broke out he was living in New Romney, Kent and for a time was a concientious objector. Working in a first aid post he met and later married my mother Ethel Prior. Eventually joining the The Royal West Kents he was put in the education corps and was posted to Ontario, Canada.
After the war he returned to New Romney and to his wife and new son Peter (me). Realising his vocation he took up a teacher training course which at that time provided a fast track into the teaching profession. By this time his second son Martin was born. When he qualified he taught at Southlands secondary modern school New Romney for a time; then 1953ish Paddock Wood where my sister Alisoun, the final addition to our family was born. Taking up a post of head of the English department in 1956 at Ashford North School for Girls we moved back to New Romney. He was to remain there for the rest of his teaching career retiring in 1980.
Throughout his life he wrote in the region of 500 poems. I reproduce a selection of my favourites here.