S. P. B. Mais


Stuart Petre Brodie Mais, known publicly as S. P. B. Mais, was a British author, journalist and broadcaster. He was an author of travel books and guides, and had an informal style that made him popular with the general public.

Biography

Petre Mais, as he was known in his personal life, was the son of Rev. John Brodie Stuart Mais, curate of St Margaret's, Ladywood, Birmingham and his wife Hannah Horden. He was born at Ladywood, but raised in Tansley, Derbyshire, where his family relocated on his father's appointment as rector there in 1890.
He was educated at Denstone College, Staffordshire, then read English Literature at Christ Church, Oxford After teaching at Rossall, Sherborne and Tonbridge, and Royal Air Force College Cranwell, he later worked for National Press at Fleet Street. A prolific author of over 200 books, he also broadcast for numerous wireless programmes for the BBC between the 1920s and 1940s. Mais was an ardent campaigner for the English countryside and traditions, leading walks for people who came for a day trip by train from big cities, often from London.
Mais worked as a journalist for The Oxford Times newspaper, and also for the BBC as a radio broadcaster, most famously on the Kitchen Front radio show that aired after the morning news during World War Two. He presented Letter from America from 1933, 13 years before a similar concept was made famous by Alistair Cooke. He also presented a series on This Unknown Island.
One grandson is Evening Standard writer Sebastian Shakespeare, who wrote of his grandfather:

Personal life

In 1913, Mais married Doris Snow; they had two daughters: Priscilla and Vivien. After the marriage was dissolved, he had a relationship with Winifred Doughty, who changed her name by deed poll to Gillian Mais; they also had two daughters. After becoming dissatisfied with living standards in the tiny retirement home at Lindfield, Sussex that had been offered to the penniless Mais by the Samaritan Housing Association, along with Mais's refusal to marry her, Jill left Mais for a mutual friend, Dudley Carew, whom she married, and lived with him across the road from Mais, taking him meals.

Death

Mais died on 21 April 1975 at his retirement accommodation Lindfield, Sussex.

Critical works

These include: