He is 72 and has taken up writing for the first time on his 70th birthday, just to keep the grey matter working. He started his working life as a farm labourer before signing up in the British Army...ver maisHe is 72 and has taken up writing for the first time on his 70th birthday, just to keep the grey matter working. He started his working life as a farm labourer before signing up in the British Army for a term of service of six year. After leaving the army he took a government training scheme and became a Boilermaker. Having done 12 years as a boilermaker he decided to go back to school. He attended first Middlesex polytechnic on a DIRST course for a year, achieving a diploma in Trade Union studies; then went to Sheffield Polytechnic to take a degree in Social Science. In 1981 he became a County Councillor on Nottinghamshire County Council representing a ward in his own town of Newark. He held that position for 24 years becoming the Chair of the Cultural and Community Committee. One of his responsibilities being for all the Libraries in Nottinghamshire, some 66 in total; in 2001 he retired from Politics and at the age of 70 to up writing.ver menos