I left The Tech when I was 16, in 1960.

Further education was via day release during my apprenticeship, then night school, and correspondence courses - gaining HNC Mech & Production, Diploma in Management Studies, First year Management Accounting and Bookkeeping. I was trained in Work Study and was awarded Chartered Engineer status.

On leaving school, I started an engineering apprenticeship at Wadkins in Leicester , then transferring it to Broom & Wades in 1961. I remained in engineering until I was 59, mainly in the manufacture of capital equipment ( machine tools, cranes and lifting equipment). In the process I was made redundant four times.

The pinnacle of my career was in 1990, when I was appointed Production Director at Dean, Smith and Grace of Keigthley, West Yorkshire, a manufacturer of centre lathes and CNC lathes.

I found out what I was good at in 1995, when I Project Managed the rebuilding of an 85,000 square foot fire damaged factory and offices for an insurance company at Morris Cranes, Loughborough. This included factory layout, movement of plant, purchase of some plant and all lifting equipment and project managing the build. The target was to open the new premises in June 1996. which was achieved.

My final six years at work, were spent at Costco's distribution Centre, at Lutterworth, where I ended up being Monthly Supervisor for all incoming goods and site maintenance. During my working career I have moved 9 times.

I retired in 2009.

My wife and I met in 1956 when we both lived in Hazlemere, Bucks. She moved away due to her Dad's job, though we stayed in contact and remained friends.

It was 1961 when she had moved to Fleet in Hampshire (it was easier to travel on the bus from Wycombe to Fleet via Reading) that we decided, that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. Sandra and I got married in Fleet, in 1965.

We could not have children, so we adopted Simon in 1969 and Sarah in 1972

Simon attended Stamford Boys School, before going on to own his own Gym in Peterborough. The Gym concentrates on body building and was voted the best gym in the Peterborough area three years running. He married Helena in 2018, and has (at time of writing), two daughters, Eleanor (18) and Isobelle (15), plus three other children by marriage, Amy(16), Evie (14) and Archie (10).

Sarah became a veterinary nurse, after leaving school. After tragically losing her partner to cancer, at the young age of only 35, she married Matt, in 2017, a builder. She has four lovely step-children, Charli (17), Brad (21), Jess (24), and Mitchell (28).

Both Simon and Sarah are both big dog lovers, as we are.

We have had four Border Collies, three of them “rescued”. We also adopted a female Red Setter, to stop it from being “put down”, when Sarah worked at the vets in Stamford. It turned out to be a scatty, but a loving gentle dog.

I played football into my thirties. My main achievements were at minor level in the Wycombe area, winning the Berks and Bucks Cup with Terriers Athletic in 1962, then playing for Wycombe Wanderers Youth Team in 1961/62, and gaining my County Youth Badge in 1962. I also played for Wadkin’s first team when I was 16.

After football I played club Badminton, until my knees gave out.

I then took up golf , after being invited to a “stag weekend” to play 18 holes on a Sunday in 2000. After which, I joined Cosby Golf Club, where I have been the Junior Organiser, Senior Captain, and Senior Treasurer - but never achieving better than a 21 handicap.

Whilst living in Stamford, Lincs, I started a Scout Group (the 6 Stamford) in 1976, which eventually had Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, and Venture Scouts. Sandra joined me to run the Cubs, where we both received our “Wood Badge”. This was a most rewarding time and we had great fun. Sarah even became a Cub, and Simon went on to become a Venture Scout. I believe the group is still running.

Sandra and I celebrate our 60th wedding Anniversary in 2025.

My twin brother Tom, went into the building trade, building his own house, which he still lives in, in Pyrton, Oxfordshire. He married Kathleen in 1966, and has two children Karen and Alan, and two grandchildren, Ben and Alice.

I hope this lets our friends know that both Tom and I, are both still “swinging”, ( in golf – that is).