Born in London area in 1937 when the family lived in Wealdstone, Middlesex. The house backed onto the London to Scotland Main Line (Steam) Railway track.
I went to school at Pinner Park Infants and Junior School (at that time many lessons were held in the Air Raid Shelters!) later attended Whitefriars Secondary Modern. I stayed on a further year (normal leaving age at that time was 15 years) to
follow a Print Course, Wealdstone and nearby Watford were at that time major centres of the Printing industry.
I eventually sat for and obtained a place at SUN Printers in Watford but failed the medical to enter into a four year Apprenticeship scheme so had to leave.
As an alternative I chose an outdoor life, that was recommended in those days for people with breathing problems and worked for a number of years at the Woodmans Of Pinner Nurseries where we grew, planted and sold a whole range of plants, many
customers were from the wealthy areas of London. In those days plants in the main were not pot grown and had to be dug up and delivered at the right time of the year.
After a period in Hospital, I then joined the Harrow Borough Parks team and worked as a gardener at a couple of the Council Offices grounds.
Then I joined the local Co-operative Society, first delivering Bread from door to door, then into the Grocery Department, worked my way up to Branch Manager, attended a Management Course at the Co-operative College, moved down here to Essex
to be Manager and Buyer for the Earls Colne Industrial Co-operative Society's food store.
In 1970 my wife Margaret and I went on a 3 week trip to Mexico to see the World Cup Football Finals, a prize won through a competition organised by one of the major food producers.
Soon after that the local Society amalgamated with its larger neighbour, the
