My
Friends:My
Friends:Per Annos Accrescit Amicitia - As the years advance, one's friends become more precious...
Here are my friends, listed according to the length of time I've known them, with longest first.
I met Kevan in 1981, when I went for my interview at Sun Alliance. Since then we've been the worst of friends. He is now fat and dyes his hair. His epitaph shall be"True wit is nature to advantage dress'd - what oft was thought, bit ne'er so well expressed".
Kevan attains his 43rd birthday on 7th December 2004 and has two daughters called Estelle Francis and Isabelle Anne
You can e-mail him on kevan.gough@blueyonder.co.uk
Alan Parker, KCBS
I have known Alan since 1985 when I met him at the newly opened TGI Fridays and it was
*the* place to be and be seen. I was there as his chauffer for the evening, which meant he
could drink lots and I got to drive a Jag at the age of 22!
Alan is a great entertainer and combines good food and wine with excellent wit an
repartee. He is always to be found at the latest "in" venue and the accounts of
his extravagant grand tours of Europe are well recounted.
Alan is a Barrister and has not yet taken silk. Despite this, he can be e-mailed at APQC@theinternet.com
I've known Wendy since 1986, when I moved to Harts Green Terrace- she was my neighbour. Since then we've become good friends, indeed so much so, in 1997 she bought a house a few doors up from me.
Wendy's initial interest left a lot to be desired, but some leaps and bounds in 2001, the installation of a shower room and a very impressive kitchen lead to her spending her first night at "Charlton" on 1st January 2002. She plans to move in this year...
Wendy celebrates her 55th birthday on the 8th April 2004 and you can e-mail her at
Brendan Handley, CBS Brendan is engaged in the art of Coiffures and currently plies his trade in Quinton
after many years in Edgbaston. Mr Handley is a giggle and I met him in 1987 through a
friend of a friend, as they say. Since that time we have maintained contact,
especially in the various engagements and socials of Edgbaston and Harborne (previously
also Moseley before the Hermitage was created). I've known Mark since 1987, when he used to work for me as a lad. Now he's very
important in his own underpants and is Customer Services Manager for Sirius Group in Sutton Coldfield. Mark can be e-mailed at Mark.Fletcher@siriusgroup.co.uk
I have known David since 1987, when he came to work at Sun Alliance and I was
responsible for his training. Over the ensuing years, we have become good friends. David is Mr Nonchalant! I don't think I've ever known him to get excited about
anything, though this does not mean he is not assertive. He has principled views on most
things and will argue his ground and affirm these principles. David is 35 on the 29th March 2004 and is a Property Underwriter for Royal &
SunAlliance. He is married to Cathrina. He can be e-mailed David.Amos@UK.RoyalSun.com.
Blair was a definite Goth when he started Sun Alliance in 1987 and was going out with a
horrendous woman called Samantha!! Since then he has found a lovely lady called Joanna and
they got married in October 1997 and live in Cannock, Staffordshire. You can e-mail Blair at blairaustin@hotmail.com.
Mr Mander! Well, I met David at the Powerhouse in Birmingham, one Thursday night in
January 1988. At the time he worked as a waiter at the Himley Country Club, whilst living
at home in Kinver. Since then he has had many jobs and is currently working at Land Securities
Trillium. David is 6'6" and on the 9th November 2004 he is 38. Andrew came to work for me as a fresh faced 17 year old in January 1990 and what
aneducation he received!! He managed to stay working at (Royal) Sun Alliance for seven and
a half years, when the contstraints of RSA pay forced him to move else where! Andrew now works as a Support Analyst for Carlton
TV in Birmingham. He lives a comfortable life at home in Sutton Coldfield, surrounded
by adoring women. If you feel like adoring him too, then e-mail him at andrew.lynch@carltontv.co.uk I have known Malcolm since 1992 and we have been friends since 1994. He has a very
comfortable and, in parts, opulent home in South-West London where he maintains a
splendid, if not model, garden. He is in his mid-40's and is very sensitive about his age, despite the fact that he
looks younger. He can be e-mailed at Malcolm.Simpson@UK.RoyalSun.com.
I first met Colin in 1994, when I was elected to the Executive Council of URSAS (or
SASU as it was then) and we have become good friends since 1997. Colin is a great traveller and trots around the globe regularly. He also lives in Colin can be e-mailed at cm002b7206@blueyonder.co.uk.
Bob is a professional photographer and his Web pages can be viewed at http://www.robertworkman.demon.co.uk. You can also e-mail him at bob@robertworkman.demon.co.uk.
David sings in the BBC
Symphony Chorus and has been seen on many occasions excercising his vocal villainies.
Look at his Web Page for I first met David in January 1997 and we have become good friends since. David read Environmental Science at De Montfort University, Leicester and since his
graduation has worked mainly for House of Fraser. He is currently a Training &
Development Team Manager for House of Frazer
and for reasons best known to himself, chooses to live in Rednal, Birmingham.
David is 33 on 3rd March 2004 and can be e-mailed at david.richardson@ukonline.co.uk. Robin is originally from Forres,
but now lives in Edinburgh. We first began to
correspond via the Internet in the summer of 1997, but it was not until 12th May 1998 that
I met him, in response to an invitation to visit him in the Scottish capital. If you click on his eek, you can also see him in true bibulous surroundings at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Robin is a manager of Asset Trusts and an acknowledged all-round Financial Guru and has
been married to Lorna for over a quarter of a century. You can e-mail Robin at robin.angus@hemscott.net
Martin is also from Edinburgh and I met him in May 1998, when I was
introduced to Robin Angus's retinue. Martin has always featured in the social activities
when me and my friends have visited Edinburgh on the many occasions since then. Martin has
visited Eaglehurst many, many times. Many, many times. Like his close friend Robin, Martin "bubbles with wit and good humour" and
lectures in Law at Edinburgh University. Martin can be e-mailed at Martin.Hogg@ed.ac.uk
I recruited Ian for the Royal Sun Alliance IT Team in September 1997 and his
intelligence and dry humour were a refreshing change in the workplace! He then moved from
his Student Hovel in Bournebrook to Eaglehurst in July 1998 and remained there until April
1999, when he moved to London to work for the Environment Agency. He has since left the Environment Agency and now works for Pink Elephant. Obviously living with his Manager was not a problem for Ian and this
"barrier-less" existence is further evidenced by the fact that he now dates
Sarah, a former long-standing friend, co-habitee af the Bournbrook Hovel and fellow Almnus
of Birmingham University!!!! Ian can be e-mailed at ian.hall7@virgin.net
Mak was the succesful applicant who I interviewed for a temporary position back in October 2000.
He remained in my department as a technical guru until late 2002, when circuitously he ended up working for IBM in West Sussex.
Mak and I became very good friends, as we share the same sense of humour. Unfortunately he currently lives in Redhill, Surrey, but hopes to make a return to the Midlands soon. Peter Berry will be pleased when this happens...
Mak can be contacted at Makkand@yahoo.co.uk.
I met Dennis at a Planning Appeal hearing in 2001 and after discovered we shared a common interest in planning issues, we found that we had many other mutual interests. Since that time we have become good friends and Dennis has willingly joined the Royal Society of St George and the Birmingham Civic Society - though I can't claim to have reciprocated by joining the Labour Party!
Dennis can be e-mailed at dennis.minnis@lineone.net There are others who used to appear on this page and are either Lapsed or have been consigned to Purgatory... 
Mr Handley is the perfect party host and partners Mr Parker (see above) like a hand in a
glove or should that be Hudson & Hall?
Brendan can be e-mailed at BJ@hair.net
Mark Fletcher, CBS
David Amos, GCBS
Blair Austin, CBS
David Mander
Andrew Lynch, CBS
Malcolm Simpson, KCBS
Colin Mustard
Bob Workman, KCBS
I have known Bob since 1996 when he visited Eaglehurst as the guest of Martin T
Hogg. They had met through some mutual friends, whilst Martin was on holiday in Ibiza. Bob
is the consort of Tim
Stanley, Deputy Leader of the Labour-run council for Hammersmith & Fulham.
David England, KCBS
David lives in Bromley, Kent and I've known him since 1995. He is originally from
Goole, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, though I got to know him when he was living in
Nottingham.
David Richardson, KCBS, MB
Robin Angus, GCBS, GR
Martin A Hogg, KCBS
Ian Hall, GCBS
Makand Dugh, CBS
Honorary Alderman Dennis Minnis, KCBS
