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Michael Kidson

1929 – 2015

British schoolmaster

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About Michael Kidson

Lived 1929 – 2015 (aged 85).

Michael George MacDonald Kidson (24 August 1929 – 20 June 2015) was a British schoolmaster who taught history at Eton College. Among Kidson's pupils was former Prime Minister David Cameron.

Kidson was born in Belgravia, London. His parents separated when he was an infant and his father died a few years later. He was brought up in Shropshire by his grandfather until the age of seven. Following his grandfather's death he was placed into the care of the Royal Wolverhampton School, which at that time was a charitable institution for children who had lost one or both parents.

After five months' training at the Mons Officer Cadet School, Kidson served in the King's Shropshire Light Infantry as a national service officer, then went up to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he read economics and history. In 1956, he joined Shell as a graduate trainee, but soon moved into teaching, initially at Papplewick, a private school in Ascot, and then at Eton. He retired in 1994.

Commenting on Kidson, David Cameron said: "If he caught you napping, he’d throw this block of wood at your head .... Health and safety means you can’t do this anymore."

Kidson's life is portrayed in the 2017 book by Jamie Blackett, The Enigma of Kidson: The Portrait of an Eton Schoolmaster, published by Quiller .

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Important facts

Birth century
Education
Gonville and Caius College, Royal Wolverhampton School
Also known as
Michael George MacDonald Kidson

People in Michael Kidson's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Michael Kidson's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Michael Kidson?

British schoolmaster (1929–2015)

When was Michael Kidson born?

Michael Kidson was born on 24 August 1929.

When did Michael Kidson die?

Michael Kidson died on 20 June 2015.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Michael Kidson

· Wikidata: Q20671983

· DBpedia: Michael Kidson

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Michael Kidson. https://biography.guide/michael-kidson/

MLA: "Michael Kidson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/michael-kidson/.

Chicago: "Michael Kidson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/michael-kidson/.

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