Professor Tom McLeish
1 May 1962 – 27 February 2023
All at St Peter’s were saddened to hear the news that Professor Tom McLeish had died recently after a short illness.
Tom was a familiar face at St Peter’s. He was a committed governor in recent years and brought his considerable experience of higher education and local networks to the governing board, as well as his perspective as a former parent at the school.
Tom and Julie’s children - Katie, Nicholas, Max and Rosie - all contributed in so many ways when they attended St Peter’s. All four were well known in school, not least for being part of their own sibling string and wind quartets, and also found time to develop their sailing skills outside school. Even after the children had left the school, Tom remained involved, giving public lectures and attending events. The whole McLeish family remain a valued part of our school community.
Tom was so popular and modest, considering his plethora of achievements, and he had a unique talent for making every person he spoke to feel important. He was a true polymath, a man of deep faith, esteemed academically for his razor-sharp intellect and renowned for connecting seemingly disparate ideas.
Educated at Sevenoaks School, Tom went on to Emmanuel College, Cambridge where he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1984, a Master of Arts in 1987 and a PhD in 1987 for research on fluid dynamics.
His long list of impressive accolades include: lecturer in Physics at the University of Sheffield from 1989 to 1993, Professor of Polymer Physics between 1993 and 2008 at the University of Leeds, Professor of Physics at the University of Durham from 2008 to 2018 and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research between 2008 and 2014. Tom also was the first Chair of Natural Philosophy at the University of York. He worked to increase understanding of the properties of soft matter; matter easily changed by stress including liquids, foams and biological materials. He published hundreds of papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals over the years and was invited on Radio 4’s Thought for the Day.
Tom was made a Fellow of the Institute of Physics, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the Royal Society. He achieved many awards including Weissenberg and Bingham medals from the European Society of Rheology. He received the Sam Edwards Medal and Prize for "his sustained and outstanding contributions to the fields of molecular rheology, macromolecular biophysics and self-assembly" and the Lanfranc Award for Education and Scholarship "for his record as one of the most outstanding scientists of his generation, and the leading contemporary lay Anglican voice in the dialogue of science and faith". Tom gave the 2021 Boyle Lecture for the International Society for Science and Religion, entitled "Rediscovering Science as Contemplation."
One of his many other varied interests included Medieval Science. In 2014, he published a book on the relationship between Religion and Science called ‘Faith and Wisdom in Science’. His wide knowledge across so many subjects made him a master of interdisciplinarity.
He was also a lay preacher in the Anglican Church, regularly delivering sermons at St Michael le Belfrey, York, something very important to him.
William Woolley, Chair of Governors at St Peter’s School said, "Tom joined the Board in 2021 and we immediately benefitted from his incisive questions and comments in our discussions. He would always be prepared to challenge accepted norms if he felt there was a better way of reaching the desired outcome. Whilst we will miss his intellectual input into our debates, we will also miss the fellowship and friendship of the kind and considerate man that was Tom."
Jeremy Walker, Head Master of St Peter’s School added, “Tom knew St Peter’s, and was known by the school, incredibly well, as a committed and interested parent over many years and as a Governor. His range of expertise and intellectual ability was vast and always applied with a lightness of touch and sense of enquiry. He had the wonderful ability to speak to anyone, and for them to know that he was genuinely interested in them, and all they were doing. As a result, he was held by all in great admiration. On a personal level, I am so grateful for having known Tom and he will be remembered with tremendous affection by all at St Peter’s.”
Mark Edwards, Head of Physics, said, “You knew you were in the presence of an eminent and great person, but Tom always cared deeply about what you were doing. He delighted in interconnectedness and his enthusiasm was infectious.”
Paul Miles-Kingston, Director of Music, remembers:
“Tom was very musical, and the family contributed very strongly to Music in school. His four children were all talented music scholars at St Peter’s. Katie and Max went on to study Music at Cambridge and subsequently studied at the Royal Academy of Music as postgraduates. Katie is now a professional oboist, specialising in Baroque music, and Max, a professional trombonist.
Tom and his wife Julie were both very supportive of our Music department over a ten-year period and regularly attended concerts and events. Rosie played a principal part in Beauty and the Beast in 2018, and Nicholas was a principal in Les Misérables in 2012, which I know were productions that Tom and Julie really enjoyed watching. The whole family came to Rosie’s Cabaret performance in 2019, which was their final major event as parents at the school. This was a very special moment.”
Ben Fuller, Head of Politics, said, “Tom was so clever, wise and unassuming; on a level with pupils and teachers alike.”
Everyone who met Tom from our school community joins in sending sympathy, prayers and love to Julie and her family. We will miss Tom’s kindness, wisdom and great company.
Julie has shared that there will be a service of thanksgiving and celebration for Tom’s life, and details will follow in due course.
