01-24-2003, 01:02 PM
Hi. I hope this is not too long (but since I keep adding to it, it probably will be)
I am originally from Glen Parva (Sue Townsend country) near Leicester. I have lived in Calgary, Alberta, Canada since 1966 with two, two-year sessions back in the UK during the years 1973 to 1975 and 1983 to 1985. Travelled over on the Empress of Canada from Liverpool and endured near hurricane-force winds (Force 9) part way. Lots of broken arms on board, high chairs tipping over, tables and bars cleared of dishes and glassware - all kinds of fun. It was very exciting for a 21-year old but my first wife (pregnant and just 18) was not too impressed. Volunteer passengers had to unload the ship in Montreal due to a longshoreman’s strike. Travelled then to Calgary by train (2 1/2 days). Snow storm (20 inches) followed a day after we arrived on Calgary on April 21st (which had been quite a hot day). Such was our introduction to Canada.
I enjoyed my "15 minutes of fame" in an early 60s rock group recording on the Columbia label and appearing live on a Radio Luxembourg programme in London (at EMI House) called "Friday Spectacular." This was with the American stars Gene Pitney and Bobby Vee as well as with the Brit Jess Conrad (I'm dating myself here). Other highlights
Our band leader's sister was the Beatles press secretary for a while and she used to get us the Beatles' demo records. We would then be able to practice their songs before the actual records were released (a major coup at our dances). We opened for the Kinks at the Leicester Corn Exchange and for the Animals at the George Hotel in Hinckley, Leics.
Dad took me (and just me) to Arizona when I was 19 (and just married). I fell in love with the place and didn't want to return to the UK (I also realized what a mistake I had just made - getting married, that is.)
Worked most of my life in trade-related work (machine shop, fitting, welding, fabrication and for a short time as a diesel mechanic on CP locomotives). Quit all this heavy stuff cold turkey one day and never went back. Took 18 months off of work and was a “Mr. Mum” for a while (loved it). Went back to school (Technical College) as a mature student in 1988 and took Chemical Technology. Graduated with honours in 1991 (not bad for the oldest student there and the dumbest kid in my high school).
I went to work in a lab and was eventually promoted to supervisor (over one person). The supervisor position later finished, but, in the mean time, I had got involved with Canadian regulatory affairs in the area of OTC drugs, vitamin-mineral supplements and herbal products. I still do a bit of lab work on these products as well.
I am re-married (to a Canadian gal) and I have two children by this marriage (three by the first). Stefanie is 15 and has the “Voice of an Angel” (no exaggeration - more later). Sean is 11 and was in to ice hockey for four years but dropped it last year in favour of basketball and break dancing (go figure). My wife Carol works in the Natural Gas Industry (Calgary's main industry is oil and gas). She and I went on a two-year working holiday to the UK in 1983 and settled not a mile away from where I was born. We were just married and it was a great experience for us both. Carol worked as a temp over there but settled into one job for the last year with the Leicester Building Society. I worked on gravel crushers for Goodwin-Barsby and it was damn hard work (I got severe tennis elbow requiring cortisone shots in each).
I also run a website aimed mainly at Leicester and Leicestershire expats. It has lots of nostalgic content as well as an extensive bulletin board set-up for expat messages and contacts. For example, there are over 1130 messages in the guest book and nearly 900 expats registered (and listed) by country and also by their old schools.
I hope you will visit and check it out. The web address is
http//www.leicesteroverseas.com
You can hear my daughter sing from this page
http//www.leicesteroverseas.com/Stefanie_Airey.htm
More about the website (of interest to expats from Leicestershire only)
The website contains the following main sections "About the Artist" - images of old Leicester and scenes of Bradgate Park by local artist David Weston; "Who's Who" - famous and interesting people (both historical and modern) from Leicester and the County; "Leicester Links" - a list of links that make up some of the best of Leicester & Leicestershire on the Web; "Nostalgia Junction" - railway art by David Weston, plus railway holiday posters, railway postcards, and railway and steam locomotive history; "The Market Place" - books and novels by Leicester & Leicestershire writers.
In addition, there are some other minor sections for your stories (Memory Lane); Leicester-related stories by a local author Clive Collins (Short Stories); my own section (Tim's Page); a section listing expats and locals by their old schools (School's Out); a section about the use of nautical words in every-day usage (Nauti Words - not what you think); selections from a book, "Put on Your Boots and Parachutes," about Leicestershire and the US 82nd Airborne Division and more besides.
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by TimBert on 2003-01-25 2013 ]</font>
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by TimBert on 2003-01-27 1515 ]</font>
I am originally from Glen Parva (Sue Townsend country) near Leicester. I have lived in Calgary, Alberta, Canada since 1966 with two, two-year sessions back in the UK during the years 1973 to 1975 and 1983 to 1985. Travelled over on the Empress of Canada from Liverpool and endured near hurricane-force winds (Force 9) part way. Lots of broken arms on board, high chairs tipping over, tables and bars cleared of dishes and glassware - all kinds of fun. It was very exciting for a 21-year old but my first wife (pregnant and just 18) was not too impressed. Volunteer passengers had to unload the ship in Montreal due to a longshoreman’s strike. Travelled then to Calgary by train (2 1/2 days). Snow storm (20 inches) followed a day after we arrived on Calgary on April 21st (which had been quite a hot day). Such was our introduction to Canada.
I enjoyed my "15 minutes of fame" in an early 60s rock group recording on the Columbia label and appearing live on a Radio Luxembourg programme in London (at EMI House) called "Friday Spectacular." This was with the American stars Gene Pitney and Bobby Vee as well as with the Brit Jess Conrad (I'm dating myself here). Other highlights
Our band leader's sister was the Beatles press secretary for a while and she used to get us the Beatles' demo records. We would then be able to practice their songs before the actual records were released (a major coup at our dances). We opened for the Kinks at the Leicester Corn Exchange and for the Animals at the George Hotel in Hinckley, Leics.
Dad took me (and just me) to Arizona when I was 19 (and just married). I fell in love with the place and didn't want to return to the UK (I also realized what a mistake I had just made - getting married, that is.)
Worked most of my life in trade-related work (machine shop, fitting, welding, fabrication and for a short time as a diesel mechanic on CP locomotives). Quit all this heavy stuff cold turkey one day and never went back. Took 18 months off of work and was a “Mr. Mum” for a while (loved it). Went back to school (Technical College) as a mature student in 1988 and took Chemical Technology. Graduated with honours in 1991 (not bad for the oldest student there and the dumbest kid in my high school).
I went to work in a lab and was eventually promoted to supervisor (over one person). The supervisor position later finished, but, in the mean time, I had got involved with Canadian regulatory affairs in the area of OTC drugs, vitamin-mineral supplements and herbal products. I still do a bit of lab work on these products as well.
I am re-married (to a Canadian gal) and I have two children by this marriage (three by the first). Stefanie is 15 and has the “Voice of an Angel” (no exaggeration - more later). Sean is 11 and was in to ice hockey for four years but dropped it last year in favour of basketball and break dancing (go figure). My wife Carol works in the Natural Gas Industry (Calgary's main industry is oil and gas). She and I went on a two-year working holiday to the UK in 1983 and settled not a mile away from where I was born. We were just married and it was a great experience for us both. Carol worked as a temp over there but settled into one job for the last year with the Leicester Building Society. I worked on gravel crushers for Goodwin-Barsby and it was damn hard work (I got severe tennis elbow requiring cortisone shots in each).
I also run a website aimed mainly at Leicester and Leicestershire expats. It has lots of nostalgic content as well as an extensive bulletin board set-up for expat messages and contacts. For example, there are over 1130 messages in the guest book and nearly 900 expats registered (and listed) by country and also by their old schools.
I hope you will visit and check it out. The web address is
http//www.leicesteroverseas.com
You can hear my daughter sing from this page
http//www.leicesteroverseas.com/Stefanie_Airey.htm
More about the website (of interest to expats from Leicestershire only)
The website contains the following main sections "About the Artist" - images of old Leicester and scenes of Bradgate Park by local artist David Weston; "Who's Who" - famous and interesting people (both historical and modern) from Leicester and the County; "Leicester Links" - a list of links that make up some of the best of Leicester & Leicestershire on the Web; "Nostalgia Junction" - railway art by David Weston, plus railway holiday posters, railway postcards, and railway and steam locomotive history; "The Market Place" - books and novels by Leicester & Leicestershire writers.
In addition, there are some other minor sections for your stories (Memory Lane); Leicester-related stories by a local author Clive Collins (Short Stories); my own section (Tim's Page); a section listing expats and locals by their old schools (School's Out); a section about the use of nautical words in every-day usage (Nauti Words - not what you think); selections from a book, "Put on Your Boots and Parachutes," about Leicestershire and the US 82nd Airborne Division and more besides.
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by TimBert on 2003-01-25 2013 ]</font>
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by TimBert on 2003-01-27 1515 ]</font>