Former head of Carmel College, David Stamler, dies aged 93

The second headmaster of Carmel College, Britain’s legendary public school founded by Rabbi Kopul Rosen, has died. David Stamler, who was headmaster from 1962 to 1971 after the unexpected early death of Rabbi Rosen, died in New York, aged 93.

In his memoir of Carmel College, Rabbi Jeremy Rosen, the eldest of Rabbi Kopul and Bella Rosen’s three sons, says that Stamler was effectively Kopul Rosen’s right-hand man. Stamler, records Rabbi Rosen, “was a chain smoker, read the Financial Times religiously and was an excellent teacher”.

But although, after taking over from Rabbi Kopul Rosen, Stamler was elected to the prestigious Headmasters’ Conference in 1969, the ethos of Carmel College began to change under his headmastership. “Although he [Stamler] was religiously committed and knowledgeable, religious enthusiasm was not his forte. He had no singing voice and was unwilling to lead on religious occasions”.

In 1970 Stamler “abruptly and surprisingly” resigned.