I am 65 this year, and retiring soon. I was brought up on Varner Road in Highgate, Birmingham, and now lived in Castle Vale since 1969. When I came to work in Castle Vale I though ‘oh no, not Castle Vale!’ it had such a reputation then. But now I think the Vale is great, people put it down, but it is a real community, people are very friendly.
So this is me and my twin sisters - Anne on the left, Judith in the middle, and me here on the right. We had to have that pram custom made! We were born in '46, just after the war. When us triplets were born my mum had already had 8 children then. And she still had another one afterwards as well! We get on well, very well indeed. We have real feelings for one another. We have always lived a couple of miles from one another.
This is my brother's wedding. My dad Benjamin, at the back (second on the left), my mother Mini Louise, my brother Raymond, and his wife Annette. Sadly she has Alzheimer's now, she is such a lovely woman. This was taken on the 25th of June 1965! At the reception I was bored and wanted to go fishing, but I stayed on and that afternoon I met my wife-to-be Margaret - and we just clicked straight away.
My dad - well he used to have terrible rows with my mum. I realise now of course it was because of what happened to him in the war. He lost his leg in the war, and had parts of it removed three time in three different places.He had a horrendous time of it, but we did not know about any of this until much later.
This is me and my wife - well now my ex-wife Margaret! It’s a happy picture - we had a good life, a good marriage and we had two beautiful children. Good memories, and good times. What happened has happened, its all part of life. In this picture is Sharon, she will be forty this year!
The glass here are very Hank Marvin..
This is the youngest picture I have of me, with daughter Sharon and Elaine. Well we used to go to Brean Sands - we used to hire a caravan there. Many happy years there, and the kids loved it!
This is Sharon, yes, a schoolteacher. I am proud of both my daughters. That is my first grandchild Emily, and my nephew Sean, he has grown up now and served in Iraq a couple of terms. And that’s Paul.
This is my twin sisters again, Anne on the left, and Judith on the right.
Well, now I am retiring I am bit concerned. I am not worried, but when your retire you think ‘oh, you are retiring, you must be really old’. But I don’t feel old, I still feel like a 20 year old, I still play up! I am just not as quick on my legs as I were! (laughs). I have a few things lined up for when I retire, I like messing on cars. I am quite happy in life, I have a new partner in life, quite a bit younger than me, and that is bonus in my case - I think myself very lucky to have her.
