When I left school I had only completed two terms in the Lower Sixth. I had met my wife to be and decided to seek a ‘quick fortune’ in order to get married.
It did not quite work out like that, of course.
Anyway, after a selection of jobs in Accountancy, HM Inland Revenue and self-employed in my Dad’s Landscaping business I met up again with Stan Walsh (now sadly passed away) who was teaching in his first post at Selsey. So, I trained to be teacher in Retford, Nottinghamshire when I was 23 and married and with two lovely young children.
I taught in a boy’s Secondary Modern for six years teaching Rural Studies, Religious Education and Games, of course, before I went to Prison (as Deputy Education Officer!) although I had never taught adults until then.
In 1975 I became Education Officer, a position I held until my retirement.
I had been very fortunate during my career in that I always managed to progress, and was able to undertake the projects that I chose.
During all that time I had been a member of the Labour Party; I had not been too active in the early years, since career and family had been my main concern.
By 1980 however, the children had grown to independence and my wife was in her own teaching career, so I was selected to represent a Ward in Retford on Bassetlaw District Council.
Without trying too hard I became the Chairman of the District (Mayor) in 1982/83. Following that swift introduction to public life I was involved thereafter in numerous rôles as chairman of a variety of committees: Planning, Development, Finance, Twinning to name a few.
Eventually I became the Deputy Leader of the Council and was so enthralled at the positive possibilities this provided that I wanted to spend all my time being of service to the public. Fortunately, I was able to retire early to do exactly that.
I never wanted to go further, into parliament for example, because that would have meant being away from home for long periods.
I do wish to refer to “Politics”. In today’s money it seems that it is very much a dirty word. Although I know lots goes on behind the scenes so to speak, and those doing wrong are due whatever they deserve. For my part, and I still believe it to be true, most people who enter public life in this way do it for the very best of motives, no matter what side of the political spectrum they represent. Politics is no different from most other callings or professions in this regard. There are good and bad in every walk of life!
Throughout all this – career and politics – our family visited France on holiday. We started by camping and taking all our own food (would you believe to France).I suppose we must have holidayed there for the best part of thirty years.
Needless to say our love grew with every experience and it became our dream when the time was right.
So in 1995 we bought a ‘fermette’ with 2.5 hectares of land in the Haute Vienne and we did the Brit thing! We did up the house, had a very large garden and our neighbour farmer had his cattle on the rest. We integrated as quickly as we could (oh how I wish I had listened more intently to Eric Smedley, Whiffer Smith and Frank Haill!)
After a while I was asked to be on the Maire’s list, so I became a local councillor (politics, but not party!)I must have been one of the earliest Brits to have this honour. Different life, different practices…meetings began at 8.00 pm and the wine came out at midnight!
Anyway after 10 blissful years my wife and I thought we should be a bit nearer to life’s services..notably shops and medical facilities so we moved to the Lot et Garonne in 2005,where we are still so happy that we say thanks to the “bon dieu” every day, especially after 50 years of marriage.
We are still members of the Labour Party and I also belong to the “Parti Socialiste”. We try and keep our knowledge of the United Kingdom up to date and with the advances in technology this is so much easier now than when we first arrived 21 years ago.
The only sad thing on the horizon is the uncertainty aroused by the awful Brexit vote.
We shall see; I am currently researching my Irish roots. My grandmother was Irish and I believe that this is transferable for dual nationality, if necessary.