[tuggers1956]

I was born into an upper middle class family.
Father was a senior company director
Mother was a teacher.
Village school education until I entered public school at 12.
Left school at 15 when my farther decided to start his own steel fabrication business.
Worked in the family business until a fall out with father at 29.
Went to work on a local farm whilst renovating a large derelict property.
1988 sold property for a large profit and was able to buy a 100 acre farm in Wales.
Farmed in Wales for 6 years but decided to return home when Dyfed council decided my 5year old daughter must be taught exclusively in Welsh.
Took advantage of the brief fall in land prices after the McSharry CAP reforms.
Bought a 130 acre block of bare land, lived in a mobile home with my wife and 3 children then, 7, 3 and just born.
Stocked the farm with 300 ewes and 20 suckler cows. Also worked part time back at the family business.
Persuaded my farther that the family business should buy the 255 acres next door.
17 years on and the family farm just over 500 acres, run by my brother, and I run the fabrication business since fathers retirement.
My heart is still in the farm that I started and I live in the farm house my wife and I built after 3years in the mobile home.
Although some would class me as a capitalist, at heart I long to see this country run as a democratic, socialist republic.

[faith0504]

hi and welcome from a snowy moray 

[Sandy]

Hello and welcome, I was born in Leicester and lived in Market Harborough for many years, my two daughters and thier families live there still, one is on this forum and keeps chickens and sometimes pigs, in fact, they may be joining y eldest of three daughters in AUstrailia so they can get more land etc and a better life, this government is squeeeeeeezin us all!!!!!! Another connection, my Ex was a farmers son from Mowsley, he farmed there until he took early retirement in 1977 due to a stroke but my now ex had no interest, others in his family did and a niece now has connections as she is married to a farmers son, forgot where they are but some where near. I used to love Market Harborough but its far too twee for me know and as I lived and worked there so long, everyone knew me, I bet you do too  nothing to hide though but love it up here in Scotland!!!!!!! 

[ambriel]

Another hello here from north of Hadrian's Wall, although I was born and bred not far from you in Northants.

[Rosemary]

Hi and welcome from windy Carnoustie 

[doganjo]

Thanks for that post, Tuggers, you are a self made man, well done, I am well impressed! 

[Daisys Mum]

hello Tuggers and welcome from the Scottish Borders, I'm afraid that I don't understand why someone who has worked hard and made a good life for themselves would want the country to become a democratic socialist republic. I would fight tooth and nail to protect all that I have worked and sacrificed for.

[Hilarysmum]

Hi Tuggers welcome from Brittany.

[ballingall]

Hi Tuggers and welcome from central Scotland.


Beth

[little blue]

hello and welcome 

[dyedinthewool]

Hi and welcome tuggers

We went to Market Harborough years ago, we hired a narrow boat for a week it was great -beautiful country seen from the canal.

[morri2]

Hello!!  Welcome from north Wales.  My kids are both taught in the Welsh language, being part Welsh I welcomed the chance for them to learn the last ancient European language still in existence and my father was over the moon - his grandmother couldn't speak any English!!  Your daughter would have  had no trouble learning the language at five years old.  At that age, their brains are like sponges.  That said,  I'm sure you made the best decision for your family in the end. All the best. 

[tuggers1956]

I never had an issue with my daughter learning to speak the Welsh language; in fact I encouraged her to speak it as she was a handy translator;
My issue was that at school she was only being taught to read and write in Welsh and it fell upon my wife show her how to read and write in English.
If the school did 50/50 I would have been happy.
My wife and I both tried to learn the language, not very well.
I have relatives, born and bred in Bangor, who struggled to understand my neighbours from Carmarthenshire.

[Sandy]

Tuggers, I'm sure I know you, my dad was a water board inspecter and he went to most farms in the area, he even knew my ex husbands dad before I met him. Was/is your fabrication business in Lubenham? near to Gartree? If it is, we took our VW for some welding some years ago......any way, I shall not ramble on, I have far too much to do 

[darkbrowneggs]

Hi there and welcome from Sue in Worcestershire