Michael Derek Page

This was established by Derek Croome in 1970 so Michael and his cohort were some of the first to graduate from their 4-year course in 1975.  During his course he did his industrial year at Derbyshire County Council’s Architect’s department in Matlock, Derbyshire, and on graduating he returned there.  It was there that he met Joe Chapman with whom he set up the Chapman Page Partnership in Derby in 1980.

On the death of Joe Chapman in 1982, Michael went to work for East Midlands Electricity (EME), first in Derby and later in Leicester and whilst he was working for them EME went into partnership with EDF Energy in France to set up an International Section to develop electrical projects abroad.  This took him to many countries including Australia and latterly sub-Saharan Africa.  Much of his work involved the provision of a reliable electricity supply to the Townships such as Soweto and Khayelitsha in South Africa.  Eventually he left EME International and moved permanently to South Africa where he lived in the Johannesburg/Pretoria area working as a consultant in electrical installations and power systems.

At the time of his death, he was still working part time, although had moved from the city to set up a farm where he kept horses and enjoyed life in the open air.  He was a practical man and enjoyed fixing things including his beloved old tractor, and generally working around the farm and helping friends to keep everything going.  He died on his 72^nd birthday (10 February 2023) after a short illness and leaves a wife in South Africa and a daughter and grandson in London.