Perhaps crucially, he also loved poetry and cracking good tales.

My father flew in Bomber Command in WWII, then taught maths and science. My great-grandfather was a Seannachie, so I suppose story-telling is in the genes somewhere. My mother is Irish and from an early age she told me history as an exciting series of stories – with dates. I do miss the camaraderie of the smokers’ room, as well as the lessons where their faces lit up as they understood what I was wittering on about. In truth, I can’t find it in me to miss the grind of paperwork and initiatives. I have enormous respect for those who still labour at the chalk-face. Gregory’s RC High School in London by the end of that period.

I taught English for seven years and was Head of English at St. It’s what I always wanted to do and read English at London University with writing in mind. I have written for as long as I can remember: poetry, short stories and novels. I was born in the normal way in 1971, and vaguely remember half-pennies and sixpences.

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