Petre Mais

Stuart Petre Brodie Mais (4 July 1885 – 21 April 1975), 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 (née Tamlin). 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 (BA 1909, MA 1913) 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.