The 150-acre dairy farm in Pilton, Somerset, became the permanent home of the Glastonbury Festival after its owner visited the Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music in 1970. This event launched a series of cultural gatherings that transformed a family farming operation into a global landmark for live music and philanthropic activity.
Early Career and Agriculture
Born in 1935, Michael Eavis attended Wells Cathedral School and the Thames Nautical Training College. He initially served as a trainee midshipman in the British Merchant Navy with the Union-Castle Line, intending to secure a pension after a twenty-year career at sea. However, after his father died when Eavis was 19, he took over the family farm, which then supported 60 cows. To stabilize his income during the early stages of managing the property, he worked for two years at the Mendip Colliery and the New Rock colliery on the Somerset Coalfield.
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Eavis participated in various political causes throughout his career. As a former miner, he held membership in the National Union of Mineworkers. During the 1980s, he helped establish a local branch of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and designated the festival as a fundraiser for the organization from 1981 to 1987. He stood as a Labour Party candidate for the Wells constituency in the 1997 general election, polling 10,204 votes. In 2017, he hosted Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn at the festival, describing him as a hero for his anti-austerity and anti-nuclear policies.
Public Recognition and Honors
His services to music and charity have resulted in numerous state and academic awards. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2007 and was later appointed Knight Bachelor in the 2024 New Year Honours, receiving the knighthood at Windsor Castle. Eavis holds honorary degrees from the University of Bath, the University of Bristol, and the University for the Creative Arts. In 2022, he was granted the Freedom of the Town of Glastonbury, and his name has been featured on First Great Western high-speed train powercars.
Charitable and Community Involvement
The festival provides funding for local projects, including the restoration of the Tithe Barn in Pilton. Eavis served as vice-president of the Somerset Wildlife Trust until 2018, though he departed following public criticism of his stance on badger culling. Despite his prominent public profile, Eavis identifies as a practising Methodist and maintains a lifestyle free of alcohol and tobacco.
Fast facts
- Born: 1935, Pilton
- Citizenship: United Kingdom
- Occupation: Farmer
- Education: Wells Cathedral School
- Political affiliation: Labour Party
- Knighthood awarded: 2024
- Notable role: Co-creator of Glastonbury Festival
Questions readers ask
What was his early professional ambition?
He initially trained as a midshipman in the British Merchant Navy with the intent to spend twenty years at sea.
What is his connection to the mining industry?
He worked at the Mendip Colliery and New Rock colliery in Somerset for two years to supplement his farm income.
Achievements
- Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- honorary doctorate — 2013
- Educated at Wells Cathedral School and Thames Nautical Training College
