David is an author of fantasy novels and a writer and producer of rock music. The site provides information of his creative works and has a regular blog of news of his latest work and insights into his life and past.
My older brother was born four years before me and I can’t imagine what a shock to his system I must have been. December 1954 was obviously a good year … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Growing Up in the Harehills Area of Leeds with Brothers – Cricket Local Rules, Tomato Sauce-Gate and the Bedroom Door Handle Incident.
In hindsight, I believe that I probably got my desire to be creative from my mother. Apart from being a wonderful mum, complex, but inspiring, she was a source of … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Creative Writing – From Stainbeck Preparatory, Harehills County Primary and Roundhay School, to a Lifetime of Creativity.
My memories of eating out and takeaways were very limited during my childhood, because on the whole it was an activity that we didn’t indulge in. The reason for this … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Family Finances, Eating Out, Takeaways, Fish and Chips, Burgers, Bryan’s, Nash’s and Harry Ramsden’s.
One of the major differences between the United Kingdom and here in Perth, Western Australia, is that houses in Leeds and most of Britain are expected to last, whereas here … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – The Changing Face of Kitchens, Meals and Shopping in Leeds from the 1950s.
I have mentioned, my family, on my mother’s side were linked to the Workmens’ Institute in Chapel Allerton. This was basically a snooker and whist club, and I imagine it … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – The Games We Played in the 1970s: Snooker, Billiards, Bar Billiards and Darts. Pubs and Venues in Leeds, and The Crucible Theatre.
I am aware that there are no touchier subjects than religion, but I have to frame the context of my tale this week. I am not a religious man these … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Coincidences – Luck or Ill-Luck – Leeds, Sheffield and Wakefield.
I am not sure whether it was just a boys’ thing or whether girls were the same, but when I was growing up in the primary school years there was … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Collecting – I- Spy, Stamps, Airfix Models, Records, Cds, Books and Green Shield Stamps.
For my birthday I decided that I would try my hand at building an electric guitar from a kit. Now, I had no experience in doing this and I had … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Building a Guitar from a Kit – A Telecaster Style Guitar.
I started to go on buses from the age of four with my brother who was four years older than me. We used to go from Arlington Road junction with … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – The Last Bus Home. Using Public Transport to Get Around Leeds in the 1960s and 1970s.
My usual go-to place for concerts in Leeds was Leeds Poly and there I saw some fabulous acts at very reasonable prices. I seem to remember it was only about … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Some Lesser Music Venues and Concerts in Leeds in the 1970s, and Some of the Acts – Leeds Polytechnic, Thomas Danby College, Fforde Grene, Allerton Grange School and Youth Club.
As I mentioned before my father was a man on a mission to bring whichever house we lived in into the modern world during the 1960s. He did this first … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Continuing the Process of Modernising our House in Gipton Wood Crescent in the 1950s and 1960s.
I spent a great deal of time in Wharfedale in the 1960s and as the nearest beautiful part of Yorkshire, it became very familiar to me. The Cow and Calf, … Continue reading ‘Cup of Tea Tales’ – Wandering in Wharfedale and then Back Again! How Lucky to Have a Backyard Like That!
