The Radcliffe Lad

1st person experience 21.08.2020

My planned life-long career in the Aerospace Industry was suddenly halted after six years by our Government deciding to cancel our major leading-edge Blue Streak Missile Programme. This prompted a change in direction of my career and set me on a completely different path and spectacular journey to achieve prominence in the International Engineering and Construction of fourteen mega projects around the world over a period of thirty one years, working and living with seventy nationalities.

I then established my own Company and for the next twenty-five years delivering Management, Technical and Consultancy Services to Government bodies and Blue-Chip Companies around the Globe. Several times during my life friends had suggested that I write my life story to record the unusual path I had taken starting as an apprentice with no University education. After reaching seventy-two years of age I had to retire through ill health and commenced to outline the purpose and content of my life story. The first purpose was to highlight the removal of the democratic process from my home- town and lack of recognition of my Church and community from any book on the town.

In 2015 however I became seriously ill and spent the next two years on home dialysis, nine hours each night for seven days per week and if the machine mal-functioned I had to phone America for help in the middle of the night.

WRITING AND PUBLISHING

The career that I had chosen was “The Design and Business of Propellers and Guided Missiles “and the outcomes needed with the great De Havilland Aircraft Company. This position demanded mandatory qualifications in both English Literature and English Language. Composing and writing complex specifications, standards and contractual letters became essential for the management of the multi-disciplinary and projects with Client at the M.O.D and the many Contractors and sub-contractors employed through the supply chain.

Each month we had to prepare concise reports for Management and the Air Ministry together with our co-operating partners in the USA and France. This formed the foundation of my long successful 56-year career including 14 Megaprojects around the world and 25 years running my own Management Consultancy business advising Blue Chip Companies and Government bodies at the highest level. In all thousands of letters, specifications, tender documents and contracts gave me great access to contents, form, and function to achieve in multinational negotiations under varying legal systems including Sharia Law in the Arab world.

In my voluntary works my main writing experience was with the British Standards Institute as one of their experts on British and European Standards development over a twenty-year period and co-authoring a trance of new standards in engineering, construction and facilities management. As a founder member of the British Institute of Facilities Management again formulating strategy in this new market- place and representing the institute as a member of Reading University Board.

I have acted as expert witness and prepared the reports covering Legionella deaths at HMRC Reading. Lead author and project manager, to produce the, Hartley Wintney Parish Plan and the preparation and delivery of numerous training programmes through my career.