Interests

Related article: about me.

Modelmaking

As well as a large Meccano set, when I was young I had a sets of Dinky Toys (model cars), Minibricks, Bayko, and a Hornby 00 model railway (Lego was not yet invented). I became an aeromodeller at age 11 and went on to make boomerangs. I own a kiln (I made pottery in my 30s), and more recently I built 'St Canute' from a Billings model boat kit. In my lounge I've also built - in wood - an Optimist and an OK (real sailing dinghies).

I still think that as a mechanical modelling toy, Meccano (above) is much better than Lego.

Painting and drawing

Art has been a continuing interest. I passed 0-Level Art with Grade 1. At various times since, I've resumed life drawing and oil painting (I hardly ever finish a picture - with unfinished paintings of a horse in the style of George Stubbs and a very detailed vase of flowers - to be illustrated).

Photography

Taking photographs is a natural instinct and I never go anywhere without the digital. I've had various sorts of cameras since youth: a Brownie box camera, a Kodak one with bellows, an Asahi Pentax Spotmatic, and a Pentax MX. I have thousands of b&w pictures I've taken, developed, and printed - sometimes inspired by my favourite photographer, Bill Brandt (1904-1983).

Making music

As a child I played the violin, performing to quite large audiences. Apparently I was gifted on the violin. In 1962, with an electric Höfner Colorama guitar, I formed a pop group with three friends, one being Clive Leyland, a musician for whom I've built a website. For a couple of years we played Saturday evenings at local dances for money - typically £4 - £7. I briefly took up the violin again in 1972, then in the 1980s joined former musical friends and went public again with an un-named band doing Eagles, Crosby Stills & Nash, The Everlys, Neil Young and the like.

Sailboat racing

There have been periods of sportiness: golf, squash, marathon running, and mountain biking, but sailboat racing (dinghy racing) was a sustained passion for several years from 1969 and again in the 1980s. I'm an accomplished dinghy racing helmsman, having won cups at the local Bolton Sailing Club and on the open circuit in the OK Class (inset). I first began sailboat racing with a Merlin Rocket and once competed - together with over 350 other helmsmen - against Rodney Pattison (winner of two Olympic Gold sailing medals in the Flying Dutchman Class) in the Merlin Rocket National Championships at Pwllheli, North Wales in about 1969.

Hill walking

I've walked the South Downs Way in England - a long distance walk - and still frequent Snowdonia in North Wales (and often, in the past, the English Lake District). I walk, or cycle, for at least an hour each day - preferably uphill, as my current occupation requires no physical movement to speak of.

Plots

Several years ago I invented a board game ("Plots") in which the players have to negotiate and cheat their way to victory. With my brother-in-law, who helped me develop the game, we gatecrashed the National Games Exhibition at Earl's Court in London and played Plots with the board of Directors of (the late) Spears Games. Development of this excellent game, some day, remains a personal ambition.

Miscellaneous

In the 1970s I was a member of Bolton Chess Club and played for the town a few times, though not spectacularly well. I've also been the magician at childrens' parties, collected coins, built kites, played golf (20 handicap), and once made a suit of dinghy sails.

Related article: about me.