I appear in two school photos on the site; in the 1967 shot I'm in the second section, 2nd row from the front, 3rd kid from the left. In the 1970 picture I'm in the fourth section; 2nd row from the back and 7th kid from the left. I was a pupil at JRGS from 1966 to 1972, in forms 1J, 3U, 4U, 4U (again), 5U and the Lower Sixth. I left after one year of A-level study to attend the Broadcast Operations course at Ravensbourne College in Bromley; this seemed a much more relevant line of study!
   My family lived on Shirley Road, opposite the Dental Centre and ambulance station.
   It's interesting to see that several of the correspondents to the site do not regard their schooldays as "the happiest days of their lives" - I think I would join that band. I don't think that's because life there was particularly gruesome; I think it might've been my frustration with "the system" and being unable to cope with my desire to work in "The Media."
   Here's a story about Mr. Tryon, the French master. It was alleged that his fingertips were so sensitive that he could run his hands over the face of a playing card and tell you not just the value, but the suit! I believe that I saw him do this trick.
   Of the four O Levels I passed, French was my best subject (I got an A in written and a C in spoken). I put this down to the fact that my interest in tape recorders led me to be one of the team that would load up the next day's lessons on to the tape decks in the Language Lab. I got very used to hearing the lessons at double speed (we did this to save time in loading); something closer to the speed a French native talks at! I'd thought I might pursue a career as a technical interpreter, but "the system" didn't allow study of Maths and French at A Level. So I ended up with Pure & Applied Maths and Physics... all far too theoretical for me!
   I remember a school production of Antigone, staged after the school had become co-educational. During the interval the backstage crew persuaded two of the female cast to nip up the road to The Sandrock. As usual, the pub was packed and it took us some time to get served and then chug down our 'halfs' of lager and lime; that night the interval between acts was greatly extended!
   I remember that Mr. "Rhino" Rees had a habit of grabbing boys' hair and shaking their heads when he was angry with them. He was foiled when he tried this on John Maguire, a Canadian kid in my class. John had a stereotypical North American crew-cut and "Rhino" just couldn't get hold; I'm sure we all laughed out loud.
   I also share the fear but respect that others mention for Mr. C. E. Smith. Does anyone else remember "Modern Mathematics" forming part of the curriculum? In college I came across people who had studied this extensively for O Level, but who were incapable of handling everyday mathematical problems. I think it got dropped; I don't remember having to study it second time through the 4U year.
   I got a lot of fun from being in the Army Cadet Force (ACF) Signals Section; lots of gadgets to mess around with, plus the chance to go on exercise with the TA [Territorial Army]. I still bear the scars from getting bounced out the back of a Land Rover on Salisbury Plain - I spent a week in Tidworth Military Hospital.
   I am mentioned on the last page of the 1972 Speech Day program, winning the ACF Clark Proficiency Trophy.
   Michael Buckley, who as Signals Officer ran the Croydon District ACF unit at Fairchild's School in New Adddington, was like a father to me. I've been in touch with Michael; he really did have a profound influence on me as my Dad wasn't on the scene much. I nearly joined the Army at one point, something I'm sure my Mum would've preferred, although I think working at the BBC gave an air of respectability.
   I was amused to see that "Mick" Howard, who was several years above me and a CSM in the ACF, is now a headmaster in Lincoln!
   I'm now a US Citizen, living in California, having moved here from New York in 1999. After I completed my time at Ravensbourne College I worked for several of the broadcasters in London, then moved down to the West Country working for a couple of the (then new) commercial radio stations. I spent a couple of years with an industrial video company in Bath. I joined Advanced Music Systems (later AMS Neve) in Burnley just at the time that the firm's revolutionary digital audio editor, AudioFile, took off. I spent the next 10 years evangelizing this and, as Product Manager for post production systems, was responsible for introducing a range of digital audio consoles into the radio and television markets. Towards the end of my time with AMS Neve I was part of the team that developed its Oscar-winning Digital Film Console.
   As a result of that development I was invited to join the Engineering Department at George Lucas's groundbreaking facility, Skywalker Sound, located in Marin County, north of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. If you're the sort of person who sits through the credits at the end of a movie, you'll occasionally see my name... usually around the bit that says "no animals were harmed in the making of this movie."
   After six years I made a brief (18-month) return to pro-audio product management with Digidesign (makers of Pro Tools digital audio workstations) to help solidify their position in sound-for-picture post. I’ve now returned to the rarified atmosphere of Skywalker Ranch as Engineering Supervisor, where we continue to pursue the owner’s remit to operate on the cutting edge of the audio business.
   Sailing is my big recreational passion and early in 2007 I chartered a boat in the Caribbean for a vacation; a long-held dream. On days off I volunteer with a non-profit organization in the Bay and teach sailing for beginners.

Marin County, USA, August 2003; revised September 2007 email