By 1962 - it was decided that, if I was ever to get a decent education, I should go away to school (though not too far!). At the tender age of 11, I was enrolled at Fulneck School for Boys - as a weekly border and later day-boy.

The School is also a village and dates back to 1753, when it was founded as a Moravian Settlement. I remember that the beams in the dormitory still showed their 'Roman numerals' where they had been "marked up" during prefabrication down in the valley! (200 years earlier)

My first form master was Mr. Greenwood, and then in years 2 Mr. Perry. Fred was the Chef, and Mr. Ackroyd the headmaster. His wife was a delight from Austria, and their son Tim a contemporary and friend. Among my fiends were friends were Tim Wilks, Chris Tindall, Paul Vipond and Dave Jones.

I sat the first year of CSE as I was in the 'B' stream - the 'A' stream boys took GCE's!

TODAY::
Principal: Mrs Honoree S Gordon
Address: Fulneck School,PUDSEY,LS28 8DS
Phone: +44 (0)113 257 0235
Fax: +44 (0)113 255 7316
Fulneck School School official website
The ISIS list of Schools all about the school
Pudsey Civic Society some GREAT Photos

When I left Fulneck, (1967) it was on to "Further Education" at Park Lane College (on Park Lane) in Leeds. And what a Students Union, and not a bad canteen - but ... well that was the year BBC Radio Leeds was due to go on air - and I got sort of side tracked!

Still, I left with some 'O' levels - whcig is what it's all about. I gather that the College is now very 'posh' and important - see for yourself on the remarkable "virtual tour" site Park Lane College Virtual tour (all 360 degrees of it)
And this for the college official site: Park Lane College

And so to the job - I went to BBC Radio Leeds the year they opened in the Merrion Center. The Manager was the late Phil Sidey - and he was GREAT. He gave me so much room to 'experiment', and even broadcast!

They were an incredibly enthusiastic group of pioneers - as Radio Leeds was one of the BBC's first 8 stations. Nigel Fell was a great friend and I can't tell you here what we all got up to - but it was fantastic experience.

BBC Radio Leeds was very much a pioneering station - with one of the first Radio 'phone in shows - "Leeds and the World" the hourly news service and "Teenage Week" where we (I was 18) were let loose on the air for a week doing everything but the news!

See the stations official website

and then ........