Our revered Chairman and Evelyn in all
their glory
Michael attended St. Michael's between 1955 and
1961 when, as often as not he was known as Henry to distinguish him from the
many other Michaels we had at the time.
On leaving the famous 'academy' he went to work in a Cambridge bookshop
where he eventually became an assistant departmental manager. He also met
his first wife who died after six years of marriage and a long illness. Old
Michaelian, Chris Mayes was best man.
Michael moved to another Cambridge bookshop and while working there met his
present wife, Evelyn, who was a coronary care nurse. They got engaged after
two days (!!), married three months later with their daughter born eleven
days before their first wedding anniversary, to be followed two years later
by a son.
Thirteen years later, realising there was no further promotion in the
bookshop from his then position of floor manager, and with no chance of
becoming a director, Michael and the family moved to the seaside town of
Aldeburgh in Suffolk where they bought an existing bookshop. Michael and
Evelyn both work full time in the shop with a staff of three.
Eight years ago he decided to stand for election to the Town Council and
subsequently became Mayor of Aldeburgh (see photo). During the Mayoral year
they both attended many civic functions all over Suffolk. Michael also
chaired committee and full council meetings while he and Evelyn also
continued to run their business. It involved both of them in many hours of
extra work but they enjoyed the challenge.
A year ago, after a request for healthy (I) volunteers, Michael joined the
lifeboat crew as a beach crew member, helping with the launching and
retrieval, pulling railway sleepers up and down the steep and stony beach in
all weathers. Remembering when as a lad he had to run four to five miles
through snow drifts when football or hockey was impossible he now realises
that for him at least it did have a purpose - even if it took more than 30
years for that purpose to show itself! It also involves cleaning the boat
and the boathouse so that they would pass any inspection, whether by a
senior prefect or the Reverend Gentleman himself.
The photo show Michael with his wife, Evelyn. The gold chain has links
showing the name and date of the past Mayors and some pride is taken that
one such is Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, Britain's first woman doctor and
first woman Mayor.
(this article first appeared in the Summer 1995 edition of
the Mitre. Michael has now sold his business and retired to Yorkshire)
Humour
On a train from London to Manchester, an
American was berating the Englishman sitting across from him in the
compartment. "You English are too stuffy. You set yourselves apart too much.
You think your stiff upper lips make your above the rest of us. Look at
me...I'm me, I have Italian blood, French blood, a little Indian blood, and
some Swedish blood. What do you say to that?" So the Englishman replied,
"Very sporting of your mother."
Q: What do you get when you cross an elephant with a kangaroo?
A: Bloody great holes all over Australia.
Q: What do you call two elephants on a bicycle?
A: Optimistic!
Q: How do you know if there is an elephant under the bed?
A: Your nose is touching the ceiling.
