Personal

Born in Huddersfield, brought up in Marsh. Oakes Junior School & King James Grammar, Almondbury. Mixed memories of King James’s but still connected through the old pupils’ society. Married to Nicky for 35 years, 2 sons 1 married, no grandchildren yet but desperately wish I had. Passed my driving test at the first attempt but failed the motorbike test on wrong use of brakes and gears. At the second attempt I removed the brake light so the examiner couldn’t see when I was braking – and passed!!

Enjoy badminton (reluctantly gave this up for the Choir many years ago) and still play weekly. Crown green bowls at Brockholes Bowling Club. Started playing golf last year but still ‘hacking around’ somewhat. Keen Fartown supporter – will never be the Giants in my eyes. Keen on DIY and caravanning – go abroad every year.

Work

Trading Standards profession for over 40 years in various locations, for a number of local authorities. Like a good Yorkshireman I worked in Lancashire for nearly 30 years and brought my salary back to Yorkshire to spend it! Retired in 2006 after 42 years.

One cold winter’s day I followed a coalman in Silkstone Common. Parked about 50 yards behind him, peering through the condensation on my 1959 Morris Minor windscreen. Every time he delivered a bag of coal I made a mark in the condensation on the window. There were nine marks when he drove off so he must have delivered one bag short of the ordered ten. Followed him and challenge him but he insisted he had delivered ten bags. Went back and weighed the coal in the customer’s cellar and found less than 10 cwts, so I was right. Needless to say the marks in the condensation had become marks in my Trading Standards notebook by time I got to court!

Music

Interest in music from early age – mother bought me a nursery rhyme book in 1949 which I still play to my goddaughter. School choir. Mother showed me where middle ‘C’ was on the piano and that’s the only lesson I ever had – big regret not learning to play properly. Play at home and the church organ monthly – not very competent but thoroughly enjoy it. Joined NMMVC 3 months after it was formed – they had just learned Softly As I Leave You and Gwahoddiad. Present at first concert in Hepworth. My Love Is Like Red Red Rose is our most moving song. During the first weeks rehearsing it I had difficulty controlling my emotions – daft sod!! When the choir was a low ebb in the late nineties I joined Sing Live and sang at the Town Hall and Royal Albert Hall. Fortunate to be chosen to sing a solo in front of over 1000 people in St Georges Hall in Bradford – a frightening, rewarding experience. A 2 night performance. First night on autopilot but enjoyed it the second. Floated around the ceiling for a fortnight after. Sing Live is now a distant memory thanks to the current situation in the choir.

The present mix of music in NMMVC is excellent and life in the choir is great. Sometimes wish we learned new stuff at a faster pace. Would like to join a Barbers Shop choir (in addition to NMMVC) if there was one available locally.