TRIBUTES have been paid to a “true gentleman” who devoted his time to his family and the community of Bolton.

Michael Tatman died at the age of 86 earlier this month with a funeral service held at Bolton Parish Church yesterday.

Mr Tatman’s wife Elizabeth, who was also very well known in the community died earlier this year. The retired Bolton School teacher lived in Astley Bridge and was an active member of the community. He was a hugely popular member of Bolton Little Theatre and played a leading part in Bolton News Talk, which provides audio copies of the newspaper.

Gareth Preston from Bolton Little Theatre said: “He was a man of many parts and the word often used to describe his is, a gentleman, he was, he had a very gentlemanly way about him.

"He was an excellent actor both in drama and comedy. Both he and Elizabeth were involved in Bolton Little Theatre and both were true role models, supporting the local community.”

Mr Tatman, was a father-of-three and a grandad. He was head of French at Bolton School boys’ division where he taught between 1958 and 1993.

Carl Robson, who is now head of French at Bolton School boys, said: “I arrived at Bolton School in 1993 as an NQT joining the French department. Michael prided himself on the excellence of his spoken French and an insistence on conducting his lessons entirely in the target language. The work scheme consisted on working through French for Today and seeing how far you got with the light relief of Tricolore ­— original version ­— in the middle school.

“There was a strong insistence on literature in the sixth form and the very able students were pushed on by a Cambridge graduate who had a real flair for the language. Michael was also instrumental in setting up the French exchange to Moulins with the late Anne-Marie Hutchings in 1985 and led the trip annually greatly enjoying the hospitality and fine food. Out of school he was a leading light in Bolton French literary circles and in putting on theatrical productions and in the town twinning project with Le Mans.”

Caspar Joseph, boys’ division history teacher and former head of sixth form, added: “Michael Tatman was a scholarly, gentle, witty and urbane schoolmaster in the true tradition. He taught French with a genuine passion, but was also involved in the pastoral care of his students and very active in the artistic and cultural side of school life, especially in outstanding drama productions. He was involved in countless foreign trips, language exchanges, expeditions to and from Cautley and for a while was in charge of school tennis. He will be remembered with great fondness by those he taught, and those he worked with.”

Lisa Schofield from The Bolton News worked with Mr Tatman on Bolton News Talk.

She said: “He was a lovely man. Sometimes I would help with reading out the articles to be sent out to people with visual impairments. He had a really sense of community in providing this service which before digital technology was absolutely vital.”