| 1950 |
Born at Bents Green nursing home, Sheffield. Christened Andrew Stephen Richard Milner |
| 1950-1956 |
Lived in Sheffield, York, Chorleywood |
| 1957 |
Dad got job with CFAO in Nigeria, and we lived at Enugu and Lagos. We had an MG Magnette, which was resprayed from black to red/white. Dog called Shandy. Can remember first flight in aeroplane with Mum as we flew out to join Dad in Enugu. Mum was extremely nervous. Night spent at West London air terminal in Cromwell Road waiting for the flight on an Argonaut. Changed to WAAS(?) and flew Kano to Enugu on a Dove. Tarmac at Kano hot enough to 'fry an egg'. Houseboys Eke (believed killed in the Biafran war) and Celestion... Mum remained friends with April Harris for next 50 years ... taught to drive 'in secret' |
| 1958 |
Went to Rossall Junior school at Fleetwood, Lancashire |
| 1958-1962 |
Mum and Dad lived in Malta - Flat 3, Tigne Street, Sliema. I visited every holiday whilst boarding at Rossall. The Partridges lived above us - Steven and John, parents Don and Joan. Don used to make fantastic Xmas cakes that looked like winter cottages with lights inside etc. Maid was Marion, kept in contact with her for many many years. |
| 1963 |
Left the Rossall Junior School, and went to Rossall school. Was in Rose House, with Mr Ilett as housemaster, and Geoffrey Sale headmaster. Mum and Dad moved from Malta to St Antioco, on the southern coast of Sardinia. Memories of Mum after an alcoholic Sunday lunch throwing beachball out of car window on way home ... and of Dad narrowly avoiding hitting edge of bridge. Had a small boat with outboard motor. Stranded when ferrying a friend's yacht back to the port, and getting extremely scared. Dad bought me a canoe that weighed a ton and a half ... |
| 1967 |
Made a mess of my 'A' levels, getting fairly low grades. Expelled from school after getting homesick and stealing a car to help my flight home. Stopped by police between Blackpool and Preston ... went to Mum's school at Scarisbrick Hall, nr Southport, as a dayboy. |
| 1968 |
Got the required 'A' levels, and went to Lancaster University to study Physics. Part of the course included computing, learning ALGOL. Decided this seemed a lot more interesting than Physics and switched to computing for my degree course. In Furness College. |
| 1971 |
Left Lancaster having obtained a meagre third class honours degree, and started my working life at IBID in Lancaster. |
