Born in Dartford, Kent in March 1955, I spent my first 18 years in South Darenth(Map), living first at 6, Montgomery Road in a Prefab, then moving in 1963 into a semi-detached at 12, Shrubbery Road (now No.65).
I attended Primary School from 1960 until 1966 at Horton Kirby Primary School (Parish News). See picture above, the happy Five Year Olds.
See separate page on Horton Kirby Paper Mill Paper Mill and Wiki
At 11 yrs old, I passed the 11+ and went on to Dartford Grammar School from 1966 until 1973 (Dartford News). I gained three A levels (Geography, History and British Constitution) and 1 S Level (British Constitution)..
I gained entry to Liverpool University to study History & Politics. I successfully graduated with a BA Hons (2.2) in 1976.
I Gained entry into Cardiff University (Wales) to study a Postgraduate Social Work Diploma from 1977 until 1979. The first year was spent mostly in Clinical Social Work and Probation Work, however in the second year I specialised in Community and Welfare Rights work, which I far preferred.
Work placements were varied including Newport Probation Service, Merthyr Tydfil Social Services and Gilfach Goch Community Centre. I qualified in 1979 and attempted to look for work.
However 1979 was also the arrival of the Thatcherite Tory party into Power after the "Winter of Discontent" that had seen public service workers' strikes lead to the overthrow of the failed paternalistic Government of Jim Callaghan. This started the dark era of 18 years of Tory misrule.
Welfare Rights were not exactly flavour of the month for the Tories and finding it impossible to gain suitable employment, I charged off to France (and exile!!) to work for PGA Adventure Tours for Teenagers near Cap d'Agde in the south of France.
South Darenth Watercolour
Student in Liverpool
Reception at La Grande Cosse
Having gained temporary employment in the South of France, and deciding that the lure of learning French was overwhelming, I stayed put.....Winter spent learning French at the Université de Lyon, and working at Night at Mamouth Supermarché.
By spring the lingo was well and truly coming on. Back briefly to England where I received a job back in France setting up tents in various locations. The last location was "La Grande Cosse", a Naturist campsite between Béziers and Narbonne (unfortunately no longer naturist). The local Patron offered four of us jobs to stay for the summer.
Hence began two summer seasons of working "à la naturelle". I've never looked back. Out of work between the two summer seasons, I ended up in Germany digging roads as a Gastarbeiter for three months in Burgau (near Ülm). Then back South for the new season.
Au Naturel
Cargese, Corsica
Saw an advert for Club Nature and applied, and lo and behold I became a GO for Club Med, in 1982, being sent to Cargèse in Corsica (a French island between Sardinia and the French Mainland). This was the start of nearly 16 years as a GO, roaming the World as a Rep. in various Resorts. My last Port of call was at Club Med Lindeman Island where I finally jumped ship in 1998.
See below for further pages on my Club Med exploits, and OzPage on my time in Australia, since leaving Club Med. -
June 2004 Moved back to London where I was a Facilities Manager at the LSE University until July 2009. Moved in October back to Kent to look after Mum, where I took on a home learning couse to get an International Book-keepers Certificate. One year of unemployment was too much, so moved back to France, to stay in Nice in June 2010.
Managed to get a full time job as the Commercial Department Accounts Controller near Montpellier for UGSPAY Ltd., until 2016 when the compnay went bust and we were all made redundant. Now happily ensconced (and retired) in Montpellier since July 2010.
