In 1952,Muschamp was appointed naval ADC to the governor-general of New Zealand,Sir Willoughby Norris,a former governor of South Australia. Thus,he found himself the only Kiwi in a household of English men and women. At age 26,Muschamp was head-hunted by the New Zealand company Fisher&Paykel,starting off on the ground floor,working on the assembly line,in spare parts,sales,purchasing,engineering and research. He was destined eventually to become the manager of the company’s London branch for five years.
But first came wedding bells. In March 1958,he sought leave to fly to England to marry Stella Wood (to whom he referred affectionately during his later life as “the War Office”). Both Michael’s and Stella’s fathers were bishops,so it was a grand occasion indeed at St Albans Abbey,one of the largest cathedrals in England. However,while the happy couple were being spliced,the marquee for the reception – attached to the new in-laws’ home – burst into flame and all within was destroyed. “What the bloody hell are going to do now?” wailed the bishop’s wife upon hearing the news,unaware of a nearby microphone that amplified her lament to the dignified assembly. However,the catastrophe had a happy ending – the caterers told dad-in-law:“No charge,my lord,all covered by insurance.”
The London job took him to Europe regularly and the Muschamps enjoyed three holidays in the Balearic Islands,including Majorca,the isle which Australian fugitive Christopher Skase was to make infamous years later. During these trips,Michael and Stella spent a day as guests of writer and poet Robert Graves and on another occasion it was lunch at a friend’s where English actors Laurence Olivier and Joan Plowwright graced the table.
The Muschamp marriage produced four children – Virginia,Amanda,Katharine and Timothy – and the family eventually settled in Australia. Muschamp took his giant brain to the TV quiz shows,first to theMoney Makers hosted by Philip Brady. He won the final but challenged a ruling that his opponent had answered incorrectly. “She was right,” said Muschamp,an opinion the adjudicator confirmed,and they taped the show again to give the opponent the prize instead.
Some years later,Muschamp made the final ofSale of the Century where the same woman who lost-then-won onMoney Makers was his opponent. This time,Muschamp won the lot – Glomesh purses,holiday,pool table and a Mercedes. He was subsequently employed as a judge onFord Super Quiz with Bert Newton.
The quiz champ also ran for parliament in 1972 but,as he was the candidate for the Australia Party and the seat was blue-ribbon Liberal,the bid fell on barren ground. Muschamp was well-loved and respected by family who valued his hard-won wisdom. As one nephew recalls:“It was Uncle Michael who explained to me as a teenager the importance of equality of opportunity – and the impossibility of ensuring equality of outcome.”
Muschamp gave me a copy of his memoirs some years back,so it seems appropriate to let the dear fellow have the final word in his mortal salute. “Was I a rogue,a vagabond or a pristine example of the human race? Or,as is the case,a pretty ordinary chap who,from time to time,did some quite un-ordinary things?”
Yes,Mr Muschamp,the latter.