A Family History of the Illustrious, Notorious and Eccentric Lloyds of Birmingham, Brigstock and Pipewell Hall - Flipbook - Page 144
JOHN MICHAEL LLOYD Uncle Mike
1912 - 2001
ose the reason why I can remember so much more about Uncle Mike, is that I knew him over a
longer span of years than any of my other Lloyd uncles. During this span, he was a tremendous
o Sally and I as architect, and support of me and my family. Furthermore, he was an immense help
mother, even more so after my father died.
Mike went to public boarding school at Oundle, following his older brothers. He recounted how in
days the house masters of the individual boys' houses made their living from the surplus after first
g for all the essential supplies for their house. His House Master had identified "Loo Paper" as an
where economies might be made, and personally undertook the task of asking and recording how
sheets of loo paper each boy had used each morning. The boys were trying to out do each other in
ng how economical they were. Marcus Beresford, the boy just in front of Uncle Mike when asked,
One Sir". Uncle Mike when asked, not one to be out done by the likes of Marcus Beresford, said,
r Side of Beresford's, Sir". Consequently, Uncle Mike was beaten for lack of veracity.
arliest memories of Uncle Mike were recounted by Pierre, starting with his precocious enthusiasm
lent for tennis, which he apparently started to play at Pipewell when he was barely the height of the
net. From an early age he will have competed in the annual Northamptonshire Tennis Grass Court
pionships on the out field of Wellingborough School Cricket Ground, where the grass mowers and
rollers went to work, hardly a week before the tournament started, followed by all the Slazenger
ment of nets, posts and partitions between courts. In the years that I first went Uncle Mike was
a winner of the Open Mens' Doubles, partnered by Billy. He also played in the Mixed Doubles at
hampionships at Wimbledon. He played for Northamptonshire for many years during the annual
County Week. Latterly forming an unorthodox partnership with Roly Morton, who hammered
with his very powerful topspin forehand from the back of the court while Uncle Mike nipped across
t hitting winners with sharply angled volleys like a traditional mixed doubles. Their partnership
d take the Northamptonshire team, led by Billy Knight, to promotion into Group 1 for the first time
Sadly, Roly Morton had a heart attack, and I was very lucky to be invited to play all week with Uncle
which was the peak of my tennis career!
Mike probably first got to know Aunt Jo (née Physic), (whom he eventually married) then
David, through partnering her in Mixed Doubles. They became a formidable partnership, winning
aments and playing together at the Wimbledon Championships. On one occasion they found
elves facing the famous, notorious designer of women's tennis dresses for Wimbledon, Teddy
g in the final of the Mixed Doubles at the Scarborough Tennis Tournament. Teddy had hit the
nes worldwide earlier that season when he had designed the frilly underpants which, "Gorgeous
e Moran", the American No. 4 seed wore at Wimbledon that year, as they were exposed in
