My Life In A Nutshell

As I write this 3 days before my 70th birthday, gives me a chance to review and reflect on my life up to this time.

I was born at time when Britain despite winning  World War 2 because of the assistance of the strength of its alliance with the United States of America in particular, was a country on its knees. My parents were amazing people who were very street smart in surviving and training and educating their children for successful lives in Australia.

It was a very wise move to leave the tragic war torn Britain for the challenging adventure of Australia - the Land Down Under, who still consider the King or Queen of England as their head of state.

Sport was always at the for front of my life! My parents were very sports minded and encouraged fitness and a healthy life  style with high moral standards of ethics. 

The 1950s were the developing years in Australia. A time to look for opportunities which in our family case was to invest in real estate : the buying and selling of properties.

It was also a time that was socially acceptable if you smoke and drank alcohol as a sign of the status of success. But not my parents! I must thank my parents for being  strict in their moral standards, being God fearing Christians and for being amazing role models for me personally.

My good health today is  a product of no alcohol and cigarettes and good food.

My parents were adventurous and that included looking for the ideal climate in Australia.

They were not afraid to move and sell and buy our home time and time again.

From St Helens 1949 to Penguin 1950 to Launceston 1952 (Tasmania) to Adelaide (1954 to 57) to Toowoomba, Queensland (1957 to 1964) To Auckland, New Zealand (6 months) and finally at the end of 1964 we stayed in Adelaide until present time.

Schools:    1951 Penguin Primary 
                   1952 to 1954 Launceston Grammar
                   1955 to 1957 Kings College Adelaide
                   1957 to 1963  Toowoomba Grammar    

Sport:  Launceston Grammar, Kings College, Toowoomba Grammar, Toowoomba Old Grammar, Mt Roskill Grammar (Auckland NZ) and Kensington (Adelaide) Cricket Club.

Playing mostly Cricket, but also Rugby and Australian Football.

Work: 1970 to 1985  Federal Department of Works 

                                    (also known as Dept of Housing and Construction)
            1985 to 1994  Federal Dept of Community Services

                                    (also known as Human Services and Health)
            1994 to 2006 Defence Science and Technology, Corporate Services Infrastructure                      

                                    Division                                    
 

Retired 30th June 2006 to support my wife’s Family Day Care business. 

Adelaide residences: Kensington Park 1964 to 1981, Hectorville 1981 to 1994 and finally Ingle Farm suburb, 1994 to present.

Churches (various in early days)
1985 to present  - Paradise AOG or Paradise Community and now Influencers Paradise Campus, Crowle Road, Paradise (Adelaide)