I was born in 1955 in South East London. My Father was a Shipwright, one of the last trained to build wooden boats in the traditional way, working on many historic vessels including The Cutty Sark at Greenwich.
I won a scholarship to attend St Joseph's College Grammar School Beulah Hill and was successful academically before being forced to leave at the age of 17, as I had to find a job when my family decided to move away from the area.
I count myself very lucky to have been raised in the cultural melting pot of inner city London. My childhood friends were all from different backgrounds and I witnessed first hand the impact that poverty and prejudice has on our society. Also several of my Teachers had been prisoners of the Japanese, the horror of their experiences etched into their faces and leaving a lasting impression on me.
I had a variety of jobs, including loading aircraft at Lympne airport in Kent and helping Lloyds Register of Shipping computerise their records, before starting to work for Christies in 1979. I have been a self employed Art Dealer since 1981 which helps me to understand the needs of the small business owner.
In 1983 I moved to Brighton where I met my first wife Amanda. She was secretary of the local Greenpeace group and I learnt a lot about Environmental issues from those times. We were married September 1989 after a whirlwind romance, knowing she was seriously ill with Leukaemia, but tragically she died December 1990 at the tender age of 27. In 1993 my only brother died from an easily cured Cancer at the age of 36.
His GP refused to accept there was anything wrong with him till it was to late to treat him.
I had been visiting Rutland regularly since 1983, when an old girlfriend brought me to meet her family and I fell in love with the old world charm of the place. I moved to Uppingham in 1993 when I had the chance to buy a Gallery on Orange Street .
I became very involved with the Community almost from day one. Becoming Chair of Leighfield PTA and Chair of Uppingham Chamber of Trade. I also set up the annual Flower Show, initially as a vehicle for a Crime Prevention day in 1996, and am very pleased to see it has gone from strength to strength since.
About Me
Dancing for Her Majesty the Queen in Uppingham 2000
Xiao Jun and I on Holiday in Norfolk
Meeting the Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate Grahame Hudson in Uppingham May 2010
I brought the first Farmers Market to Uppingham but sadly it is now a shadow of its former self. The new Monthly Farmers Market in the Market Square is a better example of how it should be and one which is overseen by the Uppingham Town Partnership. I campaigned long and hard for a Town Partnership with support from elected representatives from the County Council and Town Council as well as Community and Business input. This will ensure the whole Community, not just one or two individuals, can have a real say on what the majority feel is needed for Uppingham. In 2002 I sold my gallery and bought a small house on the edge of the Town. I continue to trade in Victorian Watercolours on the internet. I have also trained to be a Civil Funeral Celebrant. I officiate at Green Burials and Secular Funeral ceremonies and I was recently made a Founding Fellow and Deputy Director of the Society of Bereavement Practitioners.
In June 2006 I married a beautiful Chinese girl, Xiao Jun Liu in the Parish Church Uppingham. She has now been granted British Citizenship much to our delight.
I am old fashioned in my outlook on life. A Feet and Inches, Pints and Pounds man. But I believe all should have equal opportunities to make the best of their lives. For pleasure I dance with the Rutland Morris Men , watch classic films on DVD and enjoy a pint with friends in the evening.