Andrew Gault - Private Life

Private Life

Gault had always remained an enthusiastic aviator since purchasing his biplane before the First World War. His second wife was equally enthusiastic. Gault also introduced the daughter of his deceased fiance, Patricia Blackader, to flying when he and his wife took her up in their Gypsy Moth in Lausanne.

On Patricia's 17th birthday (1930), Gault took her to dinner at the Hôtel Ritz Paris. After dinner, he asked her if she wanted to go dancing or to see Paris from the air. She opted for the flying and they went to Le Bourget and flew all over the city in the dead of night. On returning to the airfield, armed police were there to meet them for having broken almost every rule in the flying book. It was down to Gault's reputation and charm together with Patricia's beauty that kept them both out of prison that night.

In 1933, as part of a party that included Lynsdey Everard, Lt.-Col. Arthur Borton V.C. and Mr & Mrs Runciman, they flew to Germany for a holiday and were met by Adolf Hitler and Herman Goering.

In Taunton he served on various committees and was much involved in local politics. He was President of the Society of Somerset Folk and regularly gave a cup for the 'best fat beast' in the Taunton Christmas Show. The Orangery at Hatch Court served as a trophy room for all Gault's hunting trophies. Today, Hatch Court houses a museum commemorating Gault's military career.

On retiring to his native Quebec after the Second World War, Gault purchased the Mont Saint-Hilaire estate from Thomas Edmund Campbell of Manoir Rouville. He bought it with the express wish to preserve it in its natural state and he vigilantly defended his estate from expropriation by mining interests. Upon his death, he bequeathed it to McGill University to help ensure its preservation.