We received this sad news from Kate.

Rev Mike Thompson died at home on May 24th 2016. A thanksgiving service will be held at St Pauls Shurdington which is near Cheltenham just off the A46 on Wednesday June 8th 2016 at 2.30 pm. I would be delighted to see anyone from Seaford as they were happy times for both of us and Mark.

Kate Thompson
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Obituary provided by John Hall of Seaford College, colleague and friend to both Mike and Kate. The photo shows Charmandean House pupils and staff in 1977. Mike is housemaster sitting in the centre.

Mike was educated at Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School 1951 -57 before going to Queens' College Cambridge 1958 -1961 to study History. He also laid claim to fame by rowing in the 'Rugger Boat' for Queens' in the Bumps.

Mike married Kate in 1960 whilst still at university. They have a son Mark who is a GP on the outskirts of Bristol. He is married to Laurence and they have two sons, Louis and Jules, grandsons to Mike and Kate.

Mike's teaching career began at Embley Park School, Romsey Sept 61 - Dec 64.

He was then appointed as Head of History at Seaford College in Jan 65 and helped in the coaching of a very successful rugby 1st XV. He was Assistant Housemaster to Dennis Mattingley, in Charmandean, in his first year at Seaford and then became Housemaster of Charmandean in Sept 67 until Dec 77. During his time at Seaford he coached rugby with Maurice Hudson and he was in charge of the cross country team. He founded the cross country Hurst Penny league which involved school teams in Sussex and Surrey.
In the summer term he coached athletics and organised Sports Day for several years.

In Jan 78 he was appointed Head of Forest Grange Prep School, where he and Kate spent many happy years before moving on to become Head of Wycliffe College Junior School in Sept 88.

Mike was forced to retire in July 93 due to ill health following a heart attack.

They eventually moved to Shurdington, near Cheltenham, where he became church warden in St Paul's Church after only a few months of living in the village and soon after, Chair of Governors to the C of E village school.

In 1998 he trained to be an Anglican priest to work in the Benefice of Witcombe, Badgeworth and Shurdington.

He was ordained in Gloucester Cathedral along with Rev. Steve Gray who taught at Wycliffe and by pure coincidence ended up at Seaford College as Chaplain. This gave Mike the wonderful opportunity to return and preach at St. Giles Church in Graffham.

During his time as an ordained priest he had the privilege of conducting many marriages and christenings of past pupils from his various schools, together with those of family and friends. One such highlight was when he officiated at the wedding of a former pupil from Wycliffe, who was PA to Jennifer Saunders. He stood in the pulpit and the Vicar of Dibley was there in front of him!

He retired properly six years ago but as someone said the other day.......Mike's ministry carried on each day as he walked his dear dog Dora.

Mike will be remembered by so, so many for his humour, guidance, calmness, friendship and love.
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Dear Old Seafordians
Sorry to hear this news, Mike started as headmaster at Forest Grange a couple of years after I joined the school. 
I started to board though the year he and Kate started. Many happy times really from a bygone era that will never return with the intrusion of health and safety. The school had a lovely ethos and was a great stepping stone onto Seaford for me.
Many events during the term were well attended by parents helping with sailing and various other activities.
I was sad to see Forest Grange close and occasionally drive up to the old house and see how it has developed.
Please do pass on my condolences to Kate and their son Mark ( a GP somewhere?).

I won't be able to attend the memorial service as I am operating that day but do remember my times fondly.

Duncan Bayne
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Dear Oldseafordians . Thank you for this message . I will be doing my best to be there for Kate and Mark. Regards . Brett Bentley-leek On 1 Jun 2016
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From: Dr Simon Cotgreave

Oh gosh, how sad.
Mike was my housemaster from when I left Forest Grange and started at Seaford until I left as one of the School Prefects in his house.
And after I left Seaford my parents and I were always delighted to see Mike and Kate at the midnight service in chapel on Christmas Eve.

We enjoyed a good relationship during my time in Charmandean and Mike was a formative influence on me and, of course, countless others.

I so wish that I could pay my respects in person, and Cheltenham is quite an easy run from Abergavenny. Sadly, I have a medical appointment and I don't feel able to ask for it to be changed.

My thoughts are with Kate at this time - please be so kind as to tender my thanks to her and Mark for their support during my Seaford days and their friendship for some years thereafter.

Simon
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Mike took Hockey Sessions in the Rugby Term . I still have memories of his enthusiasm and helpful coaching tips .
My thoughts,

Mike Rawles ( Corsica )
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What a glorious service and fitting tribute to a great friend and mentor

The service this afternoon for Rev. Mike Thompson was so moving and his photo on the order of service was exactly as I remember Mike back in 1975 when I left Charmandean and Seaford
'Grinner' - as Mike was fondly referred to by I think about everyone at college - was amongst the most approachable of housemasters and he and Kate were always there for any boy from homesick fourth formers to sixth formers facing different challenges
When I had a brief word with Kate this afternoon she amazed me by even remembering my less than successful attempts at setting up an emergency lighting system for the house with car batteries, headlamp bulbs and lengths of wire during the winter of discontent power cuts

Mike was a true friend and helped me personally enormously during my time at Seaford.

I would like to thank Kate, Mark and all their family for the opportunity to pay our respects and say goodbye and thank you to Mike today

Michael Pitts
Charmandean 1970 - 1975
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A message from Kate Thompson following Mike's thanksgiving service.

Thankyou...The photo is of Charmandean in '77 with Ken Spillett as house captain.
We had a wonderful Service with about 300 people there... Our little church had 200 chairs outside with speakers.

There were OS from the '70s. As with all these occasions there were many reunions.

It was a comfort and I feel we really celebrated his full and varied life.

Thankyou,
Kate
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Hello Old Seafordians,

Thank you for your sad mail, really sorry to hear of the passing of Mike Thompson. He was my house master at Charmandean and was always very supportive. Affectionately known as "grinner" he was genuinely interested, very supportive, caring and compassionate.

I can still see the look on his face when during a skit at the annual house Christmas party we sang Hark the Herald Angels Sing at full throttle........however I had changed the lyrics to "hark the hated prefects sing, glory to the mighty grin!" I can't recall the rest, but typical Mike Thompson he just had a huge grin and simply joined in. Top bloke!

Please send Kate and Mark my condolences, sad news indeed.

John Wright