Researching Michael Wade

A graduate of Memorial University of Newfoundland, he first published poetry in Harold Horwood's anthology Voices Underground. In the early 1970s he formed the rock band Ash Wednesday with Drew McGillivray. He briefly moved to Los Angeles in the late 1970s, but by 1981 was back in St. John's, where his first play, The Fig Tree, debuted with a cast that included Mary Walsh. His later plays included The Past Itch, The First Stone and Last Dance at the Avalon.

As an actor, his film and television credits included John and the Missus (1986), The Adventure of Faustus Bidgood (1986), Finding Mary March (1988), The Boys of St. Vincent (1992), Secret Nation (1992), Gullage's (1996) and Misery Harbour (1999), and he had a recurring role in the CBC Radio comedy series The Great Eastern as Ish Lundrigan. His stage credits included productions of Shakespeare's The Tempest, Peter Luke's Hadrian the Seventh, Edward Riche's List of Lights, Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya and Ray Guy's Swinton Massacre.

Wade was nominated for a Gemini Award, and received a best actor Moonsnail Award at the 1996 Atlantic Film Festival, for his work in Gullage's.

Returning to older pursuits in his later years, he published a volume of poetry, Poems, in 1999, and released a solo album, One Way Love, in 2003.

He died of cancer at his home in St. John's on May 22, 2004.

Wade made his Tigers debut against Bedford on Christmas Eve 1955 as an 18-year-old whilst still at school, playing 3 games in four days during the club's Christmas festival also featuring against Birkenhead Park and the Barbarians. He then dropped out of the side until the end of the season where he played 3 of the final four games.

He was captain of the Cambridge University rugby team in their undefeated 1961 season winning 14 games including the Varsity Match. Wade was then capped three times for England in the 1962 Five Nations, making his debut against Wales he also featured against Ireland and France but was dropped for the Calcutta Cup match against Scotland, his clubmate at Leicester Horrocks-Taylor taking his place.

Wade was Tigers captain in 1963/64 and again in 1964/65 however he suffered an injury to his knee cartilage in a game against Richmond in November 1965. Effectively forcing him to retire he played only 3 more games for the club in January and February in 1967.