William Bellingham, the grandfather of England football star Jude Bellingham, has been remembered as a strict but kind teacher by a former pupil after a clip of his 1987 appearance on the BBC quiz show Mastermind went viral.
Mastermind Appearance
William Bellingham, a French teacher and schoolmaster, appeared on Mastermind in 1987 with the specialist subject "History of Nigeria 1900 to 1966." Hosted by Magnus Magnusson, he scored an impressive 15 correct answers out of 17 and did not pass on a single question. The clip has gained widespread attention following Jude Bellingham's prominence in the England squad.
Former Pupil's Account
James Mead, 53, a chartered surveyor from Wandsworth, London, was a pupil of William Bellingham at Southend High School for Boys in Essex. Mead recalled: "He didn't tell us he was going to do it. We only found out from watching the show."
Mead described him as "a brilliant French teacher. Very strict, incredibly smart and very well liked and admired." He added: "He had incredibly far reaching knowledge on so many subjects and had extremely exacting standards and high expectations from his pupils. He was an absolute bedrock of my school." Despite his strictness, Mead noted that "he also had a twinkle in his eye. He was a very kind and supportive man."
William Bellingham's Life and Legacy
William Bellingham, who died in 2020, served in the British Army before working for Guinness in Nigeria. He later taught at Southend High School for Boys until his retirement in 1995. Jude Bellingham has spoken fondly of his grandfather, describing him as "an Englishman through and through" and "so patriotic." William passed away just before Jude made his England debut at age 17.
Jude Bellingham's Recent Activities
Jude Bellingham and the England team lost 2-1 to Argentina in the World Cup semi-final in Atlanta on Wednesday. After the match, Bellingham shared a four-page poem titled "The Lions Way" on Instagram, written by team driver Michael Chandler. He wrote: "Was really struggling to find the right words for yesterday and the last few weeks but this pretty much hits the nail on the head from our driver in Kansas." He thanked fans for their support and urged unity, saying: "Don't let the unity and love we've seen in our country end with this campaign. When we're together we can achieve big things… And we will! Love yous!"
