Railway atlas puts Michael on track as one of world’s oldest PhD recipients

He lined up with other students, all decades younger, at the University’s Senate House to receive it for his magnum opus – The Railways of Great Britain: A Historical Atlas.

The atlas, which records and maps every station and every line ever built by the railway companies of Great Britain between 1807-1994, was the result of 18 years’ research for the man who first graduated from Magdalene College in 1938.

In fact, Michael may well be the world’s third oldest person to be awarded a PhD. The current record holder is the Rev. Edgar Dowse who received his from Brunel University in 2004 - at the age of 93.

Michael, a former soldier who was among the thousands evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940, said before Saturday’s ceremony: “It’s very exciting. Forty members of my family are coming and we are all having tea together at Magdalene.

“It’s a great occasion. Some are coming from Canada, Spain and one from Texas. I can’t get over it really. My family seem to be very happy about it.

“It’s nice for my grandchildren as well; to see that someone of my age can produce something like this.”

A life-long train enthusiast who travelled on all of Great Britain’s railway lines between 1950-60, Michael began work on the atlas in 1978 at the suggestion of renowned publisher Christopher MacLehose.

Michael said: “I told him it would take all of my present life and half of my next to finish it, but here we are.”

From start to finish it took the next 18 years to complete and 25 years in total before it appeared in print – thanks to the generous financial help of friend and benefactor James Colyer-Fergusson.

Michael said: “I was 62 when I started and never even thought of a PhD. In fact I don’t regard myself as an official PhD really; I did this in my own time, no one was chasing me. I went to look at stations for five years, but otherwise it’s all from the history books.”

However, Dr Richard Smith, Head of Cambridge’s Geography Department and one of Michael’s PhD examiners, disagrees.

He said: “The atlas is a remarkable piece of scholarship. I was deeply impressed by the systematic way the cartographic enterprise had been carried out and the attention to detail which enables one to chart the dates of opening of every line and station.

“It is a definitive record. It is not just of interest to the enthusiast but a vital tool for anyone seriously interested in the economic geography and history of Great Britain. There is nothing like it.”

Originally from Harrow Weald, Michael, who now lives in Plymtree, Devon, first came to Cambridge University in 1935 to study mechanical sciences at Magdalene.

After graduating, he joined the Army as a regular officer and was sent to Europe in 1940 as the world descended into war.

Rescued on the last boat to leave the town of Dunkirk itself, he then spent several years training commandoes in Airborne Operations’ D-Day preparations.

However, his unit were not in the end required for the invasion of France and he headed off to North Africa and the Far East.

En-route he managed to survive the torpedoing and sinking of his troop ferry in the Mediterranean - something he understatedly describes as ‘an interesting experience’.

After the end of the war in 1945, Michael began surveying for the Army, commanding survey regiments in Egypt among other places.

He retired from the Army in 1965 and worked in mapping until his retirement in 1971.

The father of three boys, all in their 60s, Michael admitted to being less than satisfied by the first version of his work, published in 2003.

He added: “I am a cartographer and the first edition had lots of silly mistakes I’d failed to spot. However, I’m much happier with the reprint edition.”

Dr Mark Billinge, Development Director at Magdalene College, said: “Magdalene is immensely proud of Michael: his is an extraordinary achievement and we are delighted that what has been for him a lifetime’s labour of love should be recognised for the scholarly achievement it is.

“Michael’s extraordinary researches – which would have been a remarkable achievement at any age – serve as a powerful encouragement to all of us, and as an equally powerful rebuke to anyone who considers PhD research to be the preserve of the younger scholar.”

Copies of the atlas are available by visiting the publisher’s website (see sidebar).