Chapter One

My mother, Mary, at Felbrigg, Norfolk, where my parents lived when they were first married.

My parents wedding in 1941. My father in his army uniform complete with swagger stick and my mother in her Women's Auxiliary Air Force uniform.

As a baby, with my parents and siblings at home in Norfolk in 1948.

With my siblings Tom and Shanie and our paternal grandparents, William and Ethel in Norfolk, 1948.

My first birthday. Clearly drawn to cyclones from a young age!

Me as an infant in Norfolk.

Cycling across the lawn on my new Triang bike.

With my grandmother making a knotted rug. I still have the chair.

Sailing was a large part of my childhood. Here I am in my father's boat, the Harnser (Norfolk for heron) with my brother Tom, sailing at Blakeney Pit.

Looking smart in my first school uniform, aged 8.

My winning submission to The Eagle magazine's painting competition in 1957. A painting of the view of Blakeney Point from Morston. I still have an original copy of the magazine.

My winning painting of Blakeney Point, alongside other entries in the Eagle 1957 Painting Competition.

I thoroughly enjoyed all sports at Gresham's, including the high jump.

Out on the hockey pitch in all weathers at Gresham's. I played for the Eastern Counties.

Doing an unassisted jump. Something you rarely see these days!

Competing at the Eastern County Championships at Diss.

Playing the Dean of Paddington in a production of Oscar Wilde's Lord Arthur Savile's Crime at Gresham's. I designed the set and still have the Victorian picture.

My father Alec with the School Combined Cadet Force on manoeuvres in 1954.