Michael Singleton

Who was Michael Singleton?

George Michael Singleton CBE MC was an English cricketer who played three first-class games, appearing once for Cambridge University and twice for Worcestershire. Michael took five wickets with his left-arm spin and scored 34 runs in his five innings. He later played for the Free Foresters and I Zingari.

Singleton was born in Repton, Derbyshire, where his father was a schoolmaster. In 1916, his father became headmaster of The Elms School in Colwall. Michael was the eldest of four brothers. Sandy Singleton was a county cricketer who became captain of Oxford and Worcestershire; John became a farmer in Scotland; and Tim Singleton became President of the Law Society and was knighted.

He was educated at Uppingham and Pembroke College, Cambridge, and became a teacher at West Down School near Winchester before rejoining his father as a teacher at The Elms.

In 1939, he joined the Army and formed a company of the Hereford Light Infantry. He was seconded to the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, landing in France shortly after D-Day, where he won the MC. He was offered the opportunity to join the regular Army in 1946, but returned to The Elms, where he succeeded his father as headmaster in 1948, remaining headmaster for 25 years, until 1973. He was also a local magistrate, High Sheriff of Hereford and Worcester, and a Deputy Lieutenant.