What are your favourite memories?
I was at King Edward’s Witley between 1969 and 1975, and I was in Tudor House.
It is really hard to say my favourite memories of KESW; I thoroughly enjoyed being there (despite the rules and the detentions!) because it gave me so many opportunities which I wouldn’t have had if I’d remained at school at home …Was it dissecting a dogfish? Or reading ‘Winnie the Pooh’ in Latin? Or, getting a poem published in the school magazine when I thought I was hopeless at poetry? No, I think it was the friendships I made with so many different people, and the adventures we got up to together.
My favourite lessons were Biology and Chemistry without doubt. I played almost any sport I had the opportunity to play – but especially squash and hockey (I even remember having a go with a lacrosse stick once).
What did life after school hold?
I took a degree in Biochemistry, and then conducted research into the molecular genetics of the bacterium Streptomyces for my PhD.
While I was at university my Christian faith became real for me, and after my PhD I explored a calling in the Church of England. I began parish ministry in 1988, and retired in 2021. My final post was as Archdeacon of Bodmin in Cornwall, but we have now returned to the North East where I originated from.
What has been your greatest achievement to date?
I think the achievement I am most proud of, is creating a garden from nothing in our retirement home (the first house we have ever owned!).
