Myles Fortune Craston (SH 39-42). David Craston writes:

“Sadly, Myles passed away at his home in Ecoyeux on February 14th, 2013. He is survived by his wife Monique, four children and three grandchildren.

Myles arrived in his 14th year as the third of the Craston/Fortune clan to attend St Bees. His older brother John was already on School House as Head of School. John and Myles were very close throughout their lives. He loved to entertain us with stories of snaring rabbits and scrounging vegetables from the kitchen garden and then cooking up a ‘bloody good’ rabbit stew on a small fire in top garden, in a well used and rather rusty biscuit tin!

Apparently in his day underpants and long trousers were positively forbidden; rugger was only played in blinding snow storms and the dorm windows were never closed! Aside from the great fun and ‘character building’ he also got a very good education. He excelled in History and Art.

When war broke out, many school masters enlisted and when Myles left St Bees in 1942 he was recruited to teach his favourite subjects at Terrington Hall Prep School in Yorkshire. He enlisted in the RAF as soon as he was of age and after training with the Cambridge University Air Squadron he went on to serve with Bomber Command from 1943 to 1947. His last posting was to the Azores with the rank of flight sergeant. He then embarked upon a very successful career in the hotel business that would span another 44 years. He received his management training at Grosvenor House in London, the Hotel Richmond in Geneva, the California in Paris, the Westminster in Le Touquet and finished again in Paris at the Hotel George V where he met Monique, his bride to be. They married in 1953, raised four children and were together for 60 years. In 1954 he took over the management of Whitehall Court in London. From there to Ghana to manage the Ambassador Hotel from 1957 to 1963 and then to Canada, initially to manage the Chateau Laurier Hotel in Ottawa. Myles stayed with Canadian National Hotels until 1975. From 1968 he served as General Manager for the nationwide chain. In 1975 he took his family back to England and bought the Home Farm Hotel in Wilmington, Devon, which was a welcome respite from the world of corporate hotels. In 1981 the lure of the West Midlands took him to the Westward Hotel in Rushden, Northamptonshire. A few years later, with no more children at home and only a few years to retirement, he ‘downsized’ to Hartford Cottage in Huntingdon and ran it as a B&B until 1991 when he retired to the Charente Maritime.

Myles always had a special love for France. It had always been his dream eventually to retire to the French countryside. He loved the people, the climate, the food and the wine. He was truly happy in France and of course Monique was pleased to return home after 37 years. It was there that he rekindled his love of art and history. He spent many hours in the vineyards and fields painting landscapes. He was well regarded as an artist and exhibited his work in Paris. When he wasn't painting he loved to read historical accounts and he was fascinated with the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, which amused the French no end. Over the course of twenty two years he and Monique also devoted much time and energy to renovating their 200 year old maison Charentaise. They did find their paradise on earth after so many years on the move.

Myles' success in life was due to his very outgoing and affable personality. He had a genuinely warm nature that would make anyone feel completely at ease in his company. In the hotel business these are enormous assets. He was very entertaining and loved to share anecdotes of his travels and experiences; many quite astounding. It's a shame he never wrote them down. Of course when it came to his grand children he never let the truth get in the way of a good story!

They spent all their holidays with ‘Ma and Pa’ at ‘Les Cigalles’. They couldn't wait to get there and never wanted to leave.
Myles encountered many Old St Beghians over the years and was always pleased to spend time with them to share stories and reminisce. He loved reading the Bulletin and often we wondered how much he really did regret ever having to leave St Bees.

He is greatly missed by his family and his many friends.”

 

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