Barry Woods 
OP 1958
5 March 1940 - 2025

With our thanks to Stuart Gardiner (OP 1956) and Barry's wife, Brenda

The death has occurred of Barry Maurice Woods, 85, who attended PGS in the 1950s. He died following a car accident in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. His wife, Brenda, was severely injured in the same accident.

Barry never knew his father, an engineer in the Royal Navy. A bomb fell straight into the engine room of HMS Coventry  and killed the entire engine room crew. Only a runner escaped who was on a different deck. Barry later traced him and learned a little more about his father.

At PGS he rose to the rank of Sergeant in the CCF. He was in the 'D' stream at school but worked hard and was the only pupil in his form to be offered a place at university (Swansea) where he earned a BSc in Chemical Engineering.

In England he worked for the Esso refinery at Southampton and for ICI in Yorkshire before emigrating to Australia in 1968. In Australia he worked for Ampol, rising to general manager, responsible for an oil refinery in Brisbane and a lubricant and oil refinery at Kurnell, Sydney. He was active in civic and community affairs in his home town of Sydney and worked tirelessly to save an attractive beauty spot from urban development. Another issue he was concerned with was the laying of synthetic grass on a soccer field. He researched alternative grasses and finally convinced the local council to lay natural grass.

He was a lifelong supporter of Portsmouth FC and flew from Sydney with son Simon to watch Pompey beat Cardiff in the 2008 FA Cup final. 

He leaves his wife of 59 years, Brenda, a son Simon, and daughter Jacqueline.