THE former deputy headmistress of Tavistock College has died, following a stroke. Christine Chapman had been a teacher all her adult life and joined the college when it was a grammer school, having previously taught in Totnes. A passionate animal lover, Miss Chapman later worked for many years as the co-ordinator at the RSPCA shop in Tavistock and supported many animal charities, in particular those relating to dogs and horses. One of her greatest pleasures was to walk her dog among the ponies on Whitchurch Down, close to her home. In July, Miss Chapman moved to Gloucestershire to be cared for by relatives, following a stroke and several falls. But after only a few weeks, she suffered a further stroke and died in hospital, aged 80. Cllr Jenny Metcalf, mayor of Tavistock and the widow of former Tavistock College headmaster Jim Metcalf, said: ?Christine was a kindly, gentle lady, with great integrity ? and she absolutely loved animals.? Miss Chapman?s ashes will be returned to Dartmoor ? her family has asked that donations in her memory be sent to the RSPCA.
