Enjoying the view in Monaco.
I'm the one with the addiction to family history, now so much easier to pursue than it was when I started 25 years ago.
I grew up in Manchester and then went to Southampton University in the 'Swinging Sixties', emerging with a degree in German with History. What to do with it? Computer companies were taking on lots of staff, even Arts graduates, so with no real idea of what a computer did, I disappeared into IBM for the next 27 years and found out. I programmed (PL/I anyone?), provided technical support for all sorts of systems, then moved to the Education Department where I specialised in Computer Based Training and Learning Centre technical support.
I took early retirement in 1997 and have found great satisfaction in choosing my own activities and setting the pace. Travel highlights have been many, but top of the list are Bhutan and the South Pacific notably Easter Island and the Pitcairn group.
Relaxing in Barbados.
I grew up in Birmingham and then went to Manchester University where I gained a degree in Geography. After some adventures running minibus holidays to Europe, I joined BP and soon after that transferred to their subsidiary company British Pipeline Agency (BPA) in Hemel Hempstead. I started as a scheduler, manually planning movements of aviation fuel and the like through pipeline systems. Incredibly, I was there for over 30 years, moving through the company to the position of Finance Manager and Company Secretary. I retired in 2003.
I'm very keen on cricket and played for many years for the local cricket club and have been their club secretary for the last ten years. I was also a keen runner until prevented by injury. I am pleased that I did complete the London Marathon one year, though the pain and the memory are with me still.
Travel has always been a passion which retirement has at last allowed me to enjoy. I am a member of the Royal Geographical Society and of the Pitcairn Islands Study Group. One of my latest and most memorable holidays was a expedition cruise across the South Pacific which actually included a visit to Pitcairn as well as Henderson and Ducie islands. Bhutan was wonderful too, though it took us all day to puff and pant our way up to the Taksang monastery (aka Tiger's Nest)!
We've been married for over 30 years, having met in London through IVC (Intervarsity Club) after finishing University. We were both in bedsit land, Carys in Ealing and Tony in Berkhamsted. Tony was working in Hemel Hempstead, so this is where we have settled. We celebrated our Silver Wedding Anniversary in October 2000.
At the Taj Mahal, India 2011.
We have two children, Louise and Philip. Our daughter is a Nursery Nurse and our son is a scientist working in microbiology.
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