MICHAEL WILLIAM GODFREY (19 APRIL 1949 - 18 MAY 2025)

We are informing the Bishops and ODU Communities of the sad passing of Michael Godfrey. 

The following was sent in by his sister Alexia, which are the contributions from Karl Eintracht (1992B), Tyrrel Fairhead (1949) and Andy Selfe (1968F).

Michael Godfrey was born on 19 April 1949, the sixth child in a family of nine. The first three children were his half-brothers Rodney and Dominic, and sister Shirley.  His full sisters, Tippy and Lexi, were then not quite four and two years old.

The family home, called Idaho, was in Rosmead Avenue and had stables, a large swimming pool and plenty of space for the rapidly increasing family. That part of Cape Town was rather rural in those days and the older children would ride to the Rondebosch Cottage Hospital to visit their step-mother and their new brother – tying the horses to a designated rail outside.

 Jackie and Ben Godfrey wanted lots of children and Michael’s younger brother Edward was born eighteen months later. Cardie arrived soon after Edward and then, after a break of seven years, the youngest sibling Gigi joined the throng.

Ben sold Idaho soon after Mike’s birth and moved family to a farm outside Paarl, but Jackie was lonely and so they moved back to Cape Town. For some happy years, they lived at Sunningdale in Tennant Road. This gracious colonial-style mansion was designed by Sir Herbert Baker and had spacious grounds and a swimming pool with a bridge over it. But the maintenance on a house built in 1893 might have been what decided Ben to move the family again, this time to a superb mansion called Highbury in Torquay Avenue. Highbury had the necessary swimming pool, but no stables. However, a tennis court was a wonderful asset and well used. The ponies were sent to Mrs Hely Hutchinson’s stables in Doordrift Road.

Michael was about nine when Shirley, Rodney and Dominic left home. Highbury had become too big and extravagant and Ben sold it to the Italian Embassy. Not long thereafter he signed a ninety-nine-year lease on the wonderful Rowan House in Rowan Avenue. This property lacked all the outdoor amenities, but Ben built a swimming pool and had it ready for Christmas. Michael, always a dutiful and thoughtful child, was given the job of keeping the pool clean, a responsibility he took seriously.

One day, having carefully scooped up the leaves and backwashed the pump, he glanced over his shoulder to admire the sparkling water only to see something else floating on it. More debris, he thought grumpily, and went back to sort it out.

It was Gigi. She had noticed the open gate to the enclosed area, had toddled up to the pool and fallen in. Shouting for help, Mike grabbed her feet and, instinctively and very fortunately, held her upside down letting the water drain out of her lungs. Also fortunate was that our medical-student neighbour, Anthony Molteno, was home studying and was quickly summonsed. He knew how to resuscitate a tiny body without damaging it, and Gigi survived unharmed. 

***

Mike enjoyed education. His first school was Forres Prep in Park Road, Rondebosch where his beloved aunt, Eleanor McNaught, taught. Next came Monterey where he did well, becoming vice-head boy (supporting Tim Noakes who was head), in his final year at prep school.

Michael was at Bishops from 1963 - 1966 matriculating from Gray House.  He served as a Private in the College Cadet Corps.  He was Captain of House Cross-Country and a member of the Bishops Senior Cross-Country Team.  He was also a member of the College Surfing Team.  

After Bishops, Michael went to UCT to study commerce. 

Our deepest condolences go to Michael's brother Edward, sisters Alexia, Cardie (Ricarda) and Gigi, and surviving family members.

Requiescat in Pace.