When I joined Barclays, some branches still added up ledgers by hand, and there were people who could add all 3 columns (£ s d) simultaneously - quite amazing! I started at East Grinstead, who luckily had machines and is where I first met our Treasurer. I stayed there for 6 years and then moved to Three Bridges, which had a staff of 2, plus a 1/2 day machinist from Crawley. I moved to Crawley when I got married, and my wife, Joyce who worked there, had to move to Three Bridges, as husband and wife weren’t allowed to work in the same branch. After 2 years there, I joined the Brighton District Inspection team, but after 5 months was seconded to Management Services, where I became a CWIP Analyst.

Returning to Inspection, I then was given the job of training all the staff in Brighton District to change over to decimalisation prior to D Day on Feb 15th 1971. Fortunately for me the changeover went off without a hitch! I then had two Managers Assistants jobs, firstly at Market Place Haywards Heath, (where I met our Chairman and his wife to be, and our Secretary) and then at North Street Brighton, a bit daunting with 130 on the staff!. In 1975 I returned to East Grinstead as Assistant Manager for 4 years, before becoming Manager at Peacehaven. I moved on to Station Parade Eastbourne until it closed in 1985, when I went down the road to 63 Terminus Eastbourne, where I had no job, and nothing to do for 6 months! Eventually I became a Manager there until I took early retirement in 1989, after a brief time at Westerham.

I had thoughts in retirement of selling Classic cars, put up a big shed in my garden and bought 6 Classic sports cars. My timing wasn’t good as immediately the market took a nose dive! I then did what I thought I knew something about, and became an Independent Financial Adviser for the next 22 years, and have recently had my second retirement.

I’ve been quite involved in many sports for most of my life, although my golf playing days ended quite abruptly when a golf ball hit me in the eye!

With 3 acres I’ve had to spend a good deal of time in the garden, although my wife is the gardener. I mostly cut grass, hedges and trees. We’ve had a number of cats and dogs over the years and do a lot of walking, both daily and on holidays, the latter of which we have been very fortunate to go on quite often. Also I have been very involved in a number of charities, as Chairman, Secretary Treasurer and fund raiser and it’s very difficult to get rid of these jobs!

I was a founder member of the Mid Sussex Pensioners Club in 2000, as Vice Chairman, which I still am today. Over that period I have organised several away trips for the club. It’s been very interesting and rewarding being involved in a vibrant club, and meeting many people from my banking past.