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Personal Interests
My main hobby these days is using my
computers and archery. I have owned and taught
with Acorn Computers for many years and used to do most of my school work on that
machine. In 1997, I bought a PC with a Cyrix 200 processor and I was very
pleased with it. In 1998, it was
upgraded to a 400 mHz with 128 Mb of RAM and was then superseded by an
Athlon 700 mHz machine. We now have a network of a Medion Desktop; a
Compaq desktop and an Acer Aspire laptop.
Some years ago, Viv used her machine to transcribe her mother's memoirs from her longhand text so
that we could get them published. This was achieved in November, 2002.
Our home network now has two terabytes of storage for video, photos and
music. I have been making new videos and converting older ones
to burn to DVDs.
I was once a keen but poor golfer. I played off 24 but rarely
got near this. I
started too late in life. I also enjoy and play folk music. I used
to sing with a group called 'The Folklanders' and I was the organiser and
resident singer at The Black Horse Folk Club in Great Linford, Milton
Keynes.
In the 1970s, I became hooked on competitive archery. I started with
Abbey Bowmen in St.Albans and also with "The Golden
Arrows" I was asked to serve as the secretary of the
Hertfordshire Archery Association which I did for a couple of years.
I was lucky enough to be selected to represent Hertfordshire at both
outdoor and indoor competitions.
Recently, I contacted Peter Newbury who is the current secretary and he
kindly looked up references to my shooting during that time. I am
very grateful to him for supplying the following Tournament results:-
| Date |
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| 1970 |
Herts County
FITA. Second County Gent Recurve with a score of 1028 |
| 1971 |
Member of
Herts Team that beat Middx (Indoor Match) with a Portsmouth score of
533 |
| 1972 |
Member of
Herts Team that beat Middx (Indoor Match) with a Portsmouth score of
558 |
| 1972 |
Member of
Herts Team that won the Tri-Counties (Berks, Bucks, Herts)
Tournament with a FITA score of 1065 |
| 1973 |
Member of
Herts Team that won the Tri-Counties (Berks, Bucks, Herts)
Tournament with a FITA score of 1023 |
| 1976 |
Herts County
FITA. Third Gent Recurve Visitor with a score of 722
(Abandoned after 9 dozen arrows:- bad weather) |
| 1976 |
Herts County
Championships. Second Gent Recurve Visitor with a York score
of 929 |
| 1977 |
Herts County
FITA. First Gent Recurve Visitor with a score of 1153 |
In 1975, we moved to Milton Keynes and I joined the Newport Pagnell
Archers. It was while with them that I became a Master Bowman for two
years running and shot in the British Archery Team trials in 1976 and
1977. I also won the Hertfordshire Open Championships as a visitor.
I had only finished second in the County previously. I then decided
that I should start getting some coaching to improve my ability.
Unfortunately, the coaching that I received spoilt my natural style and I
started to shoot very poorly. I became so depressed and despondent
that I packed up and sold all of my equipment.
In August, 2003, I tried archery again at Heatherton
Country Sports Park. It felt so good that I have now joined The
Pembroke Company of Archers and I am really loving it. I am now the
Chairman and Records' Officer for the club.
I qualified as a Bowman in 2006 and have not dropped below First Class
since. My best ever Portsmouth was 568.
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Shooting my first recurve bow at St. Albans, 1970
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At full draw with my new Yamaha bow, 2003
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We both enjoyed
travelling. We
have made trips to the US and Canada in the past and we
visited New Hampshire in the "Fall" of 2000. This time we
visited Cape Cod (again) and took the ferries to Martha's Vineyard and
then to Nantucket. We returned in 2001 to see the colours and also to
visit Viv's two sisters in Ontario.
In 2002, Viv's younger sister, Etta came over with her daughter, Amanda
and in September 2003, Olive, her older sister came for a couple of weeks
accompanied by her friend, Beth. |
