Michael Lockett

Michael Lockett (24th November 1937 - 27th February 2021)

Sadly we have to report the passing of Mike Lockett after a short illness involving hospitalisation. Mike was only 83, but was active on the Probus committee as well as in the community. He was born in Crewe the only son of a chiropodist and shoe shop proprietor. He was educated at Nantwich and Acton Grammar School where his interest in drama, theatre and Shakespeare fired his interest in amateur dramatics. After a spell in Teacher training he became a Primary school teacher before being conscripted into National Service as a medical orderly. It was there that he met Dorothy and they married in 1961. May 2021 would have been their Diamond wedding celebration. On being demobbed he was offered a 1 year secondment into Manchester Uni to study teaching for the deaf. He took several posts before being offered the Headship of Elmfield school for the Deaf in Bristol in 1976, precipitating a home move to Portishead.. There he took on transforming the wider education of children aged from 3-16 by pioneering many types of activities to concentrate on what children could do, as opposed to being limited by their disabilities. New activities of theatre and pantomime, making costumes and scenery, an active PTA, fundraising for a minibus and outside activities, Fetes and BBQs to name but some. Mike being the only man on staff even became the BBQ chef. Whilst all this was going on he and Dorothy were raising their own children Richard, Rachel and Kate and little Tim who unfortunately died aged just 2. Mike retired in 1995 after nearly 20 years at Elmfield, but was encouraged by Swansea Uni to pass on his experience to new candidates following on in his discipline. Mike's activities did not stop there. A keen bowler in the Portishead Bowling Club he had held most positions from President, Chairman, Treasurer, to Coach and Team Captain and was awarded a Life Membership. He was very active in our Gordano Probus Club having been a founder member in 2003 and its Chairman and Committee member with an involvement going back 20 years. He was also active in the NHS Retirement Fellowship (Gordano branch) and was its current Chairman having presided over a membership growing from 30 to 100. For recreation he enjoyed his gardening and adjacent allotment, his mobile caravaning and an occasional game of golf, which he defined as a good walk ruined. He sought advice from a Pro once, to try to improve his game. The advice was that he should have 18in shorter clubs and Mike, being over 6 feet tall, asked, “Will that improve my swing?” to which the reply was, “No, but it will enable you to get them more easily into the bin.”

Mike’s funeral was held on Friday March 26th at Clevedon Christadelphian Church where he was a longtime active member and trustee. Attendance was restricted to the family, because of the Covid restrictions, but the service was made available to over 100 others by Zoom. Lovely tributes to Mike were made by his children and grandchildren.

To anyone who has known Mike, he will be missed not just for his cheerful disposition, bright personality and wise counsel but for his once heard, but never forgotten, loud infectious laugh.