Stephen Banister facts for kids

Stephen Michael Alvin Banister (born October 7, 1918 – died June 28, 2006) was a talented Welsh cricketer. He also played a very important secret role as a Bletchley Park codebreaker during World War II. After the war, he became a civil servant, working for the government.

Early Life and School Days

Stephen Banister was born in October 1918 in a place called Llandygai, which is in Wales. His father worked for the Indian Civil Service, which meant he worked for the British government in India. Because of this, Stephen spent his early years living in Bombay, India.

Later, his family moved back to the United Kingdom. His father became a research scientist at the University of Cambridge. Stephen went to school at King's College Choir School and then to Eton College, which are both famous schools. After Eton, he went to King's College, Cambridge to study classic subjects like ancient Greek and Roman history.

Cricket Career

While Stephen was studying at Cambridge University, he also played first-class cricket. This is the highest level of cricket played between top teams. He played for the Cambridge University Cricket Club in 1938 and 1939.

Stephen played in six matches. He was a right-arm off break bowler, which means he spun the ball to try and get the batters out. He took 5 wickets in total.

Secret War Work

When the Second World War started, Stephen tried to join the Royal Air Force, but he was not accepted. However, he was soon asked to join a very secret place called Bletchley Park. This was where brilliant minds worked to break secret enemy codes.

Stephen worked as a codebreaker in a special building called Hut 6. His job was to help crack the secret messages sent by the enemy. This work was incredibly important for the war effort.

Life After the War

After the war ended, Stephen Banister joined the Civil Service. This meant he worked for the government to help run the country. He rose to a high position, becoming an under-secretary for the Department for Transport. This department deals with things like roads, trains, and other ways people travel.

Even after he retired, Stephen continued to be active. He was involved with the British and Foreign School Society. He also helped with the National Insurance Tribunal and was a director for a publishing company called Taylor & Francis. Stephen was very interested in transport. In 1981, he started a journal called Transport Reviews and was in charge of its first twenty issues.

Stephen spent the last years of his life living in Effingham, Surrey with his wife. They had married in 1944 and had four sons. Stephen Banister passed away in June 2006.