Michael Dain (CR 1951-88) died on Tuesday, 15th April, age 97. He passed away peacefully at his home in Manton.
Charles Graham (CR 1973-2003) shared the below:
When I arrived to teach at the College in 1973, the first person I encountered was a tall, distinguished-looking man cleaning his caravan outside B House; he gave me a warm welcome. Michael Dain it was, and I was fortunate to be allocated to B1 as one of his tutors. Michael was in the middle of his three stints of Housemastering (A1, B1, and Littlefield) totalling 18 years, before becoming the obvious choice for Roger Ellis to appoint as Second Master. In these roles he was wonderfully supported by his beloved wife Ruth.
Michael, a Wrangler from Pembroke College, Cambridge, came to Marlborough to teach Maths in 1951 after doing National Service in the RAF. As teacher, Housemaster and Second Master, Michael earned universal respect from both pupils and colleagues for his loyalty, his fairness, his approachability. When Roger Ellis retired in 1986, he wrote to Michael and Ruth: “Thank you for all your kindness to us. I don’t suppose you realised what a strength we have felt from your constant hard work going alongside us, far beyond the routine tasks for Second Master and his wife.” From one of his pupils: “You have been a great blessing to many, and eternity has been influenced by it”.
Michael retired in 1988 after 37 years of dedicated service to the College, but the next 37 years proved to be equally productive. He became the Administrator of the burgeoning Brandt Group and was involved in all aspects of the life of Preshute Church, as Churchwarden, preacher, Home Group leader, “Open the Book” actor, and much besides. It was indeed his deep Christian faith that was the rock on which he built his life, and the source of his inner strength, his humility, his generosity, his graciousness. He is remembered with great affection by his large family and his many friends.
Andrew Brown (CR 1981-2020) shares his memories below:
We remember Michael as a hugely dedicated member of the Marlborough Common Room over many years. I first knew him as HM of Littlefield (1975-82) and of course as a gifted teacher of Maths, one of an extraordinary group of Maths teachers who had put Marlborough at the centre of Maths education nationally at that time. Before then he had also been HM of A1 (1963-71) and B1 (1971-75). From Littlefield he was appointed Second Master (1982-88), and for the first three years he also served as President of Common Room (1982-85). A Scholar of Pembroke College Cambridge, gaining a First in Maths, he had done National Service in the RAF before joining Marlborough in 1951, one of Heywood’s last appointments. Since his retirement in 1988 he has been a faithful member of the congregation at St George’s Preshute. He enjoyed choral singing and sang in the St George’s choir. Sadly, Ruth, his wife, died in 2017. Their three children are all OMs, Sarah (LI 1973-75), Rachel (SU 1974-76) and Richard (C1 1973-78).
