The Mildmays 1933 - 1948
Michael Mildmay and his wife Joan (nee Stockley) joined Aymestrey School as Junior Partners to Sir and Tief in 1933. When Sir died in 1935 they became Senior Partners and Dan returned as Junior Partner. Both their sons, Walter and Hugh, were born while they were at Aymestrey.
Michael Paulet St John MILDMAY
1901 - 1993
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His obituary in the 1993 Magazine described Michael Mildmay as:
A tall man with a commanding presence, he looked every inch a headmaster, and was also a formidable teacher of maths and French, more than once being mistaken for a Frenchman in France. He had a brilliant and rational brain and a somewhat austere manner, but beneath it lay a kindly and caring personality.
After Malvern College he went up to Emmanuael College Cambridge where, as a descendant of the founder, Sir Walter Mildmay (Elizabeth I’s Chancellor of the Exchequer) he occupied the Mildmay rooms. As a young man he became a great traveler and a notable skier. He was on the staff of West Downs, Winchester, with Dan Asterley, and from there went into partnership with Dan’s father at Aymestrey in 1933. MN Asterley died in 1935 and Dan came back to Aymestrey as junior partner.
As a result of his wife’s ill health and other family problems, he left the school to return to his native Gloucestershire, living first at Brimscombe, close to what had been Joan’s family estate. He joined the staff of the Marling School in Stroud and taught French and Science. At first he found the change traumatic, and many years later said that his work at this time was something of a disaster, but gradually he came to greatly enjoy what he was doing and grew into a well-loved “character” in the school. He finally retired in 1967.
Michael’s family home, Drakestone, in Stinchcombe, is a large country house on a wonderful site overlooking the Vale of Berkeley. It had been left for something like forty years when Hugh Mildmay and his wife and family returned, refurbished and refurnished it and began the daunting task of restoring the fine gardens. When Joan Mildmay died in 1977, Michael also returned to Drakestone and settled in one of the lodges, the other being occupied by his sister. There he lived into a serene old age, taking a deep interest in his grandchildren and playing an important part in village and parish affairs. He retained all his faculties and his mind was clear and vigorous to the end. He died peacefully at his home in his sleep, on April 28th 1993, eight days before his 92nd birthday.
Michael was buried in the family grave, where his mother had been interred in 1950. Many Old Boys will remember her as a gracious old lady.
A tall man with a commanding presence, he looked every inch a headmaster, and was also a formidable teacher of maths and French, more than once being mistaken for a Frenchman in France. He had a brilliant and rational brain and a somewhat austere manner, but beneath it lay a kindly and caring personality.
After Malvern College he went up to Emmanuael College Cambridge where, as a descendant of the founder, Sir Walter Mildmay (Elizabeth I’s Chancellor of the Exchequer) he occupied the Mildmay rooms. As a young man he became a great traveler and a notable skier. He was on the staff of West Downs, Winchester, with Dan Asterley, and from there went into partnership with Dan’s father at Aymestrey in 1933. MN Asterley died in 1935 and Dan came back to Aymestrey as junior partner.
As a result of his wife’s ill health and other family problems, he left the school to return to his native Gloucestershire, living first at Brimscombe, close to what had been Joan’s family estate. He joined the staff of the Marling School in Stroud and taught French and Science. At first he found the change traumatic, and many years later said that his work at this time was something of a disaster, but gradually he came to greatly enjoy what he was doing and grew into a well-loved “character” in the school. He finally retired in 1967.
Michael’s family home, Drakestone, in Stinchcombe, is a large country house on a wonderful site overlooking the Vale of Berkeley. It had been left for something like forty years when Hugh Mildmay and his wife and family returned, refurbished and refurnished it and began the daunting task of restoring the fine gardens. When Joan Mildmay died in 1977, Michael also returned to Drakestone and settled in one of the lodges, the other being occupied by his sister. There he lived into a serene old age, taking a deep interest in his grandchildren and playing an important part in village and parish affairs. He retained all his faculties and his mind was clear and vigorous to the end. He died peacefully at his home in his sleep, on April 28th 1993, eight days before his 92nd birthday.
Michael was buried in the family grave, where his mother had been interred in 1950. Many Old Boys will remember her as a gracious old lady.
Mrs Joan St John MILDMAY
No one could have filled the role of Headmaster’s wife with a finer blend of grace and charm, dignity and humour; and the constant enquiries from old boys and their parents ever since bear witness to the loss which the School suffered when ill health led to her retirement in 1948. Those years had been a great period in Aymestrey’s history, and much of that greatness was owed to her. (1977 magazine)