From my Treasure Box Again.

 

For American readers.  In the English usage of my day a Grammar School was a High School for those who had passed an exam. called the 11+    I passed and was University bound.

Except for those circumstances which got into my way, some of my making, others outside of my Pale.

When it came to the Ordinary level exams (after five years) I performed miserably. I passed only two -  hardly PhD material!

I could have returned for another term and re-taken the exams.

My Dad had a good conversation with me saying "you don't want to do that do you?"

"No", I replied "I'll do no better the next time".

So it was that I sought a letter of reference for employment from the Fairfield Grammar School Head Master. 

He was kind!  The reference to Music was on the ball.  But Radio? Somehow he knew that I'd rigged up an old radio and created a long antenna/aerial so that I could listen to short wave programmes from across the world.  I felt very daring as I listened to Radio Moscow's English language news.

J.P. Stewart's kind letter helped me to land my first job - with a Government Bookshop in Bristol.

And then I had a twisty journey through various jobs leading (with some blood, sweat, toil and turns)  until I attained a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Nottingham in 1976.  J.P Stewart would have been shocked and proud.