April 2012
3 posts
RIP Bill Halpin, 1929-2012
My Uncle, Bill Halpin, died at the end of March at the age of 82 at his nursing home in the Prime Minister’s constituency. His memorial service was held yesterday in the presence of his wife, Audrey, and his large extended family.
Bill left school aged 14 to work on the railways. Over a career of more than 40 years, he worked his way up to be station-master at Paddington and on many occasions he...
40 Days In The Desert (46 actually)
I am a big drinker. I enjoy it. I’m good at it. I drink far more than is good for my health, my finances or my relationships, but that’s never stopped me having one more pint, on the grounds that there’s no point worrying about one more after the first twelve. That’s been the way of it since I was 14. Since then, the longest I’ve ever been without a drink was in 1998, when I was laid up...
The Exam Boards Racket
Having spent 2 of the last 3 years working in a top performing comprehensive school, I spent a fair amount of time listening to the gripes and groans of teachers about what was wrong with the education system.
Ministers interfering with the curriculum, OFSTED paperwork, and health & safety bureaucracy were always high on the list. But one complaint stood out above all: “Bloody Exam...
