Michael Crotty 1947 to 1952
When Michael Crotty left St Mary’s College in 1952, the then headmaster, Fr John Gannon, wrote: “Michael was attentive and diligent in class but never achieved more than average in his academic studies. He was however exceptional on the field of athletics and represented the College on many occasions.”
Michael Crotty, far left, pictured in a St Mary’s relay team in 1951
Michael certainly was an excellent sportsman and appears in a number of photographs from the late 1940s and early 50s. He has also kept a large amount of memorabilia and been generous enough to share a number of photographs of his time at the school and as part of the sixth Sidcup Scout troop, which many St Mary’s boys belonged to down the years.
St Mary’s boys abroad: Michael Crotty, left, and his friend Gwyn Power on a school trip to Grenoble in late 1948
Particularly rich are his memories of one of the schools first forays abroad - a winter sports trip to Grenoble in 1948, which I’ll be describing more of at some point.
Since leaving St Mary’s, Michael has led a very full and rich life. It has not been without setbacks but now, though well into his 80s, he says life has been interesting and fun.
Michael’s first ambition was to be a vet but National Service got in the way. Michael then fell in love with planes and a career in aviation and air traffic control beckoned which he did until his mid-30s.
Domestic issues concerning the health of Michael’s first wife forced a change of career and he became a social worker to be closer to the family home where the lived with four children.
After nine years the team was disbanded shortly before Michael’s first wife died.
“Luckily the local Community Centre was looking for a Centre Organiser and I was given the job which had flexible hours. This served a purpose for three years until my eldest son was able to hold the fort if I found full time work,” recalls Michael.
This arrived when Michael successfully applied for the post of deputy manager of the London Borough of Southwark’s Holiday Home: “For the next four years I covered every aspect of running a 40 bedded Care Home which included nightly entertainment, outings and the operation and maintenance of two, 32-seater coaches.
After the home lost its funding, Michael moved into the care home business and enjoyed almost twenty years managing and overseeing operations in a number of care homes.
In 1992, Michael married his second wife, Liz and the two have been together ever since.
Michael was still working up to his 75th birthday and did not retire until December 2010.
“Everything has it’s ups and downs,” says Michael, “but despite any of these, I have thoroughly enjoyed myself and loved everything I have ever been involved with and done, which includes my marriage to Liz in 1992. My whole career and life has been interesting and fun, and still is.”