I was born and brought up in Teesdale; my father’s family were farmers and blacksmiths in Romaldkirk and my great grandmother was one of the Raine family of West Pasture in Lunedale. My mother’s family were from Eggleston and we live in the family house there.
I have the distinction of being one of the first pupils to attend the brand new school building in Green Lane in 1958 – now the primary school and then the following year moving to the again brand new Barnard Castle Grammar School – now Teesdale School.
I studied chemistry at Durham University and then theology; I taught chemistry in comprehensive schools in Sunderland and Northallerton for fourteen years and then made the transition to full time church work. For twenty-one years I worked for the overseas mission and development agency USPG, a society with a rich history dating back to 1701. My last ten years of employment was as Priest in Charge of Tynemouth Priory in Newcastle Diocese.