I was born in the house of my na-na (my mothers’ mother) at 1, Crow Nest Cottages, Lightcliffe. Later my parents moved to 20 Ripley Street, Lightcliffe. Granny lived at Hill Top, Lightcliffe.

At the age of 52, looking back eight years, I was possibly more emotionally prepared than most to make a move to the other side of the world.

It was after the hot summer of 1976 / 1977 that I moved from Lincolnshire to Brighouse. After my parents' divorce,  Dad moved to Brighouse to be nearer family, and about six months later so did my Mum, my little brother and me.

Leaving third-formers unattended on a double-decker bus heading for cricket practice is never a good idea. We were upstairs, rocking the Leyland, intent on tipping her over. The entire class of third-formers running from side to side together, and we had a good sway going when, to our glee, someone spotted Eric, the ‘mad’ maths master strutting across the Rastrick Grammar School yard. So, a long cry went up… ‘Errrricccc!... Errrrricccc!’ as we ran side to side. I relish the memory of Mr. Nichols gripping his cape, gritting his teeth as he stormed up the stairs, uttering his delicious invectives -’Insolent bounders!... Whippersnappers!... Snidey shodhorns!’ - as he lashed about with flailing arms.