Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2011/January 2012 | Page 58

INTERVIEW

Carolyn has always
been of great
support to me in
sickness and in
health and through
quite a lot of
difficulties
Michael as Master of the IW Hunt

That prompted him to build his
business, Ajax Insurance Association
Ltd, which specialised in insuring
plant and machinery. He said: “We
were the small ones in the sector, but
totally changed the way our business
operated, and the rest followed
us. Then I realised we couldn’t go
any further because we had big
competitors, and we were just a small
organisation in Liphook. So in 1989
I sold it to the Norwich Union, and
worked for them for two more years
before I retired.”
Michael has been married twice, the
first time when he was 30, but that
ended after 10 years. He had four
children, all daughters, the eldest of
which now lives at Seaview. Later he
started seeing Carolyn, and they have
now been married 31 years. He said:
“She has always been of great support
to me in sickness and in health and
through quite a lot of difficulties. We
have been a good team together.”
While still working in insurance
Michael successfully applied to become
Master of the IW Hunt in 1983,
and that brought him to the Island,
although he had holidayed regularly
here since just after the Second
World War, sailing here on numerous
occasions.
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Conservation has played a big part
in his life, but he claims: “It started
by accident. I bought the reversion
of a Forestry Commission lease on
Mottistone Down in West Wight. A
lot of the forestry there had been laid
low by the 1987 storm, and it cost
a lot to restore it. I bought the lease
of 90 acres on condition I had to
restore it to pre-forestry status of chalk

Starting out in life!

grassland, downland and heathland.
“It was an immense task, but Philip
Butchers, who had just gained a
diploma in conservation, suggested
I should buy some Highland cattle;
hardy animals with huge horns that
could get through undergrowth. We
bought six, and joined the Highland

Cattle Society. We had to have a name
for the fold – they are called folds not
herds- so it was called the Mottistone
Fold after the Down.
“That was a success, and then I
bought another Forestry Commission
lease at Idlecombe and Rowborough
where they had the same problems.
I acquired Countryside Stewardship
grants, which were a great help. I
bought some more Highland cattle,
and Philip designed a very good
conservation programme. If someone
asked me what has been my greatest
achievement, I think it was that. I am
very proud of what we did there.”
With the help and support from
mainland conservation experts,
Michael acquired more farmland and
woodland across the Island, including
two ancient woodlands on his land
that stretch from Wroxall towards
Shanklin, and then out towards
Ventnor and back towards Whitwell.
“The whole aim was conservation
management with about 1,500 acres
in hand and 2,500 in total including
the Forestry Commission, which has a
999-year lease on the land, and I don’t
think I will live that long!
“We have ancient woodland, chalk
grassland, and heath land, all very
valuable in ecological terms, as well