I started work immediately upon leaving at W Vinten Ltd., on the Western Trading Estate, in their Accounts Dept., moved to Barber-Greene England Ltd. after three years and worked in the Sales Dept. responsible for Road Finishers (pavers). Five years later I joined a Farming Group of companies, involving fattening of pigs, slaughter, processing and distribution, starting as Office Manager and leaving as Group Company Secretary. After eighteen years hard work I joined the Ministry of Defence and worked alongside the Army Air Corps in Wattisham for 15 years. I retired to Cotton in Suffolk at the age of 62, and I still love visiting Bury, it has so much to offer.
My time is taken up with my hobby which is collecting “bits and pieces” relating to the Town and ‘railwayana’. I have a treasured collection of items from BSE railway station. My wife and I love travelling and have visited more than forty countries. I love Sri Lanka and have been there three times, also had the privilege of travelling from Moscow to
Vladivostok on the Trans-Siberian Railway. For railway enthusiasts Darjeeling is a great destination.
On the down side I contracted bladder cancer at the age of 50 which was dealt with successfully only to get kidney cancer some five years ago, again successfully removed. I owe a lot to the West Suffolk Hospital.
All in all not a bad life, having left School with only four O level passes. I believe it was the Masters who developed boys at (the old) KEGS. I recall ‘Bennie’ Little lecturing me on coming bottom of the class when he first joined the School, after a firm chat, somewhat informal, I never came lower than second. I think Pete Smeltzer’s pronunciation of Los Angeles and Vladivostok encouraged me to travel. Two of the very best.
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