Two grim years in Southampton making futile trips to London, folder perused and instantly forgotten. Converted my old pub bike into a 10 speed road bike and taking up cycling again. A bum kick letter from Jack Slade meant I moved to Leeds, a flat with some chums and a job on a YTS scheme as an Archaeology Scheme ‘Technician’ in a team drawing plans for publication of findings. After 1 year I moved to a bedsit in London.
London! Art Directors! One day Travelcards! But now being ‘local’ results weren’t entirely negative. But - benefits were ceased so I got a job making Estate Agent signs. The company folded but Radio Times also offered fairly regular commissions and I did some other stuff but illustration died off.
A flat move and unemployment followed; Liz Dexter approached me about doing some cards for her business and that was welcome. Old contacts got me another job printing gaming equipment then another job round the corner printing signs again but then screen technician.
12 hour+ days were awful so I became a local postman. I thought this would be ideal, working in the mornings, illustrating afterwards. Unfortunately the work was sparse and designs for Snap cards were the last things I did before giving up.
In the meantime in Leeds I met my future wife. Long distance love for a while and then pregnancy. Decision time and we were NOT raising a cockney! Leeds it was, no job but househusband for a couple of years. That was my savings gone so had to work. Postman was the only job I could get and after a year on delivery I took a temporary office job and never went back, working in HR/Personnel. A few years later my daughter was born. All Personnel staff were made surplus in 2010 so I had 2 years with PO plus 1 day a week at Spa Cycles. Back to local RM on another project and finally worked for Assets.
I opted for EVR in 2018 and Spa offered me a job too. Two years there and then Covid and I left. One year loafing then my current one day a week job in a local bike shop. I also volunteer at a couple of Community Projects working on bikes/helping people fix bikes.
