Bill Armiger spent much of his early childhood either climbing the highest Norfolk beech trees he could find, or else sitting cross-legged and totally engrossed on the floor of the Norwich Children’s Library, oblivious to everything except what was between the covers of the book he was reading – and being fed marshmallows by a friendly librarian!

Libraries and books have been at the core of his professional and personal life, and as a teacher of English in a newly-formed South London comprehensive school, he was responsible for setting up and managing the large school library from scratch – in those halcyon days of very generous capitation allowances!  His later career development was indelibly underscored by this devotion to encouraging and enabling young people in the development of reading, not only in the practical pursuit of knowledge but, of equal importance, in the fostering of real delight in what can be found between the covers of a book.  This abiding interest was an important element in the work he undertook as Headmaster of one of Gloucester’s ancient grammar schools.  Having now retired from academic corridors, he is currently experiencing some discomfort in trying to free up shelf space on the groaning bookshelves in his Gloucester home.