Hello and thank you to whoever is reading this!
I was born in the Land of Prince Bishops (County Durham); if you ever travel to Country Durham as you enter, on the County notification sign, you will see to this day, the Words "Land of Prince Bishops" .
Its a relic dating back to William the Conqueror; since County Durham was a long way from the influence of its Southern base, William afforded the title "Prince Bishop " first to Bishop Carileph. The rank gave Bishop Carileph and subsequently other Bishops, regal power, over an area known as Palatinate of Durham.
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At primary School I was made to sit in a corner wearing a "dunce's pointed hat".
Secondary school wasn’t much better. Looking back it was a "sink school”" with myself the only single person to get an O' level in Biology, for which I got a school prize.
I was adamant I wasn't going to do A levels at that school; the only legal way to get out of it was to apply to do an O.N.D science at Durham Technical College.
On completing the O.N.D science I then started working in R&D at a factory located Aycliffe Industrial estate, that was originally a satellite factory of the main Bakeliteone in, Birmingham.
After two years I then decided to work again in R&D but this time at ICI, Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees.
In those days if you worked for three years, you were then potentially eligible for a "free grant " to go to University. Well I took that offer up and went to a London University, called Queen Elizabeth College to study Cell Biology.
After graduating I entered the field of pest control and entomology, becoming a "Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society”" and going self employed as a Consultant. I successfully worked self employed for over 17 years, working as a contractor for a range of clients including some multi-million pound ones.
Life tends to throw Curve balls, more tan once in my case and I veered into the area of education in the 3rd world Country Ghana, and got more involved in ICT particularly Linux. At the time there was a job in the offering teaching ICT in the Uk , my second wife’s (we didn’t know it then) auto-immune disease really kicked in. I had to become her 24/7 carer, couldn’t work we both ended up on U.C and benefits.
I watched her die over a period of about two years; when she died I became a single parent of two kids the youngest 9 and on UC and benefits. The myth that those on benefits all being lazy scroungers, and that the DWP is full of helpful people who don't pull the carpet from under your feet, leaves a sour taste in my mouth but that's an article for another time.