Milton Keynes Worthies

If you go to The National Trust parkland at Stowe near Buckingham you will find more follies than you can count. One of these is the Temple of the British Worthies. It’s a bit of a fun place overlooking a lake but in its day it was something of a political statement.

Within my 2020 book MILTON DREAMS THE CITY THAT NEVER WAS I talk about honouring Milton Keynes Worthies. If such a celebration were to happen who do you think we could honour ? Who do you recognise from this picture ?

Left to right:

Sir Herbert Samuel Leon 11^th February 1850 to 23^rd July 1926

 

Sir Frank Markham 18^th October 1897 to 13^th October 1975

 

Dame Cleo Laine 29^th October 1927 +

 

Jim Marshall aka The Lord of Loud 29^th July 1923 to 5^th April 2012

Sir Harold Wilson 11^th March 1916 to 24^th May 1995

My 1991 book IN SEARCH OF THE LEONS reunited the present-day Leon Family with their ancestral home at Bletchley Park. Going back to the Doomsday Book, Bletchley Park has a long history and at one time was part of The Duke of Buckingham’s estate as was Stowe. The Leons lived in Bletchley Park for a relatively short period from 1883 to 1937 but they gave us more heritage than any other owner before and after their time. There is more, much more to Bletchley Park than the code breakers of World War Two. While living in Bletchley Park  the Leons gave so much to the community. I am celebrating this with a book I  plan to publish in the summer of 2022 – IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF SAMMY LEON.

Yes, I am a fan of Sir Herbert Leon so have no hesitation in naming him as a Milton Keynes Worthy.

I like to think that I am a prolific writer, well I am but while I write across a number of genre my

books in Milton Keynes fade into insignificance by the side of Sir Frank Markham.

Sir Frank Markham was the member of parliament for North Buckinghamshire between 1951

and 1964. Born in Stony Stratford he was a Milton Keynes man way beyond being a mere politician. He began writing his book THE HISTORY OF MILTON KEYNES AND DISTRICT in 1948, it was planned as THE HISTORY OF NORTH BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, and finally published it in 1973. At the time of publication I attended two lectures Sir Frank gave. Milton Keynes was then little more than an idea on a sheet of paper.

I have said many times that no person should be allowed to serve on Milton Keynes Council without having first read Sir Frank’s book. I do at times wonder how many of today’s politicians can actually read !  None have given us the heritage Sir Frank did and so I firmly believe he is a Milton Keynes Worthy.

The very first 7” vinyl single I spent my pocket money was African Waltz by Johnny Dankworth the husband of jazz singer Cleo Laine still lives in Wavendon, along the road from where my wife grew up. Cleo has an incredible voice which can sing across three octaves. Cleo is the only female performer to have received Grammy nominations in jazz, popular music and classical categories.

That alone would merit her being a Milton Keynes Worthy but beyond that she and her late husband, Johnny Dankworth, founded the Wavendon All Music Plan which today is the internationally famous Stables Theatre. Without question Cleo Laine is a Milton Keynes Worthy.

If you go to The Hollywood Walk of Fame you will find mention of Milton Keynes Worthy Jim

Marshall. He had a music shop in Queensway, Bletchley  where he taught drumming. He then went on to make amplifiers without which many of the great pop groups we are all familiar with would never have achieved their fame.

Marshall’s motto was TURN IT UP TO ELEVEN and on all of his amplifiers, which are still made in Milton Keynes today, the volume dial goes from zero to eleven. Jim Marshall who became known as The Lord of Loud is a true Milton Keynes Worthy.

Without our next Milton Keynes Worthy there would indeed be no Milton Keynes.

In 1967 Harold Wilson’s government announced an area of land in North Buckinghamshire was designated for the building of a new city, that new city became Milton Keynes.

But more than that, Harold Wilson co-founded The Open University in Wavendon Milton Keynes. His son went on to become Professor of Mathematics at The Open University.

My book MILTON DREAMS THE CITY THAT NEVER WAS is dedicated to this Milton Keynes Worthy.

HERBERT SAMUEL LEON

FRANK MARKHAM

CLEO LAINE

JIM MARSHALL

HAROLD WILSON

Who else do you think we Mkeneyans should celebrate in this way ?

WOULDN'T IT BE NICE IF ALL CITIES HAD WORTHIES LIKE MILTON KEYNES