Johnson (Cr) Michael (Mike) Edward
| Type of person | Individual |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1938 |
| Place of birth | Brixton London, UK. |
| Principal occupation | Supermarket/Business Owner |
Johnson Michael Edward [Mike]
Mike was born in Brixton, London U.K., just before Second World War. His father was a Yorkshire man and was in the Scots Guards with public duties at Windsor Castle. Mother was from Newry, Northern Ireland. Mike was brought up in Surrey and educated at Wimbledon Sacred Heart Jesuit College, becoming College Captain in his final year. He then served 2 years National Service in Scots Guards (his Fathers old Regiment) with public duties at Windsor Castle before being commissioned into the Durham Light Infantry; serving in Cyprus.
After a short time as a laboratory assistant in a factory alongside the Thames in East London, Mike joined a Unilever company, Mac Fisheries, opening supermarkets throughout England.
He met his wife to be, Cindy, an Australian girl, in Nottingham, became engaged in Bristol, and then arrived in Australia on the P&O ship "Stratheden" in 1959 as a "ten pound pom". He and Cindy married in Everard Park in 1960 and lived at Campbelltown.
Mike was employed by Coles Supermarkets for three years, before joining Independent Grocers Co-operative Warehouse to become a retail advisor. On November 15th 1973, Mike and Cindy opened Gawler Foodland in Murray Street; now where Victory Square is in 2014.
Mike and Cindy had four lovely daughters. In 1974, they lived in the Kudla area for 5 years before shifting to Wasleys for 7 years, where tragically Cindy died in 1991.
He started Cheap Foods group from his Murray Street store. He took over the Tom Supermarket store, which later became Tod Street Foodland and later started off the Cheap Food Store. Mike built the current Foodland store in Reid Street in the 1980's and operated it as Gawler Cheap Foods and he built what now is Drake's Foodland on the corner of Reid and Tod Streets.
Mike has served as a director of the grocers' Cooperative for several years; involved in other stores in Darwin, Elizabeth and Salisbury. He sold his business in 1992.
He has been a Rotarian for 36 years and served as Councillor for the Town of Gawler Turner Ward 1987 to 1991 and Willaston Ward 1997 to 2000.
Mike married Patsy in 1999 and now they live in Yattalunga. Mike was involved in the development of Clonlea Park, the Gawler Bottlebrush project and tree planting along Lyndoch Road.
He has been a guide at Monarto Zoo and a volunteer at the Botanic Gardens. As a member of St Peter and Paul's parish, he was involved in the formation of Xavier College. Mike is currently patron of "Friends of Para Wirra Park" and is a life member of Trees for Life.
Click here to read the Bunyip article of Mike's 80th birthday
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