My deafness, which made orchestras sound instrumentally out of balance, has prevented me from enjoying classical music and only with the introduction of loop systems have I fully appreciated the theatre. But I enjoy reading and, much more recently, writing. Earlier this year I self published a book of short stories, "Fifteen Easy Tales and Strange Stories". You can learn more about it at Diadem Books (external link, opens new browser window) or Amazon (external link, opens new browser window).

Having worn a hearing aid for over 50 years I am accustomed to doing so. I wear two but for years only wore one because I was afraid of ear infection, something I have never had. I have been told I now have very little hearing left to lose. Without my two very powerful aids I hear no speech, in fact virtually nothing. It wasn’t always that bad, the deterioration has been slow but relentless. I was probably born with a hearing problem; these things weren’t checked 87 years ago.

I was just ten when my "best mate" told me, quite seriously, that I was deaf like my father; no one else appeared to have noticed. The next time anyone said anything was when I was sent to boarding school at the age of 14. I had no problem with high pitched voices but the headmaster spoke in monotone at the lower end of the hearing range. He occasionally made important announcements to the whole school and I heard none of them. Fortunately for me he was an understanding person and sent me to an ear throat and nose and doctor in Edinburgh. There I was told that I suffered from "nerve deafness" and it would only get worse because nothing could be done about it; this was in 1937. From then on I was allowed to sit at the front of the classroom next to a boy who was losing his sight. I was his eyes and he was my ears.

My headmaster thought that I should enter the Diplomatic Service and failed to appreciate the irony of a deaf diplomat from a very middleclass family. So, with the support of all the family, I went to University to read engineering, a subject requiring little oral work. It was 1941 and I was allowed two years to obtain an ordinary degree then I was immediately called up for military service, and just as immediately turned down due to my deafness; this despite having been in the LDV and Home Guard at school and the University STC gunners where I achieved the rank of Lance-Bombardier. I was drafted to work for a public company with a large factory in the south west of England. There I was involved in development work on military equipment and made frequent urgent visits to London and the Midlands during the blitzes to repair damaged road and rail equipment.

After the war I soon realised that, if I wanted promotion, I had to tackle my hearing problem. After many tests and trial runs with ear pieces and bone conducting aids I settled on an earpiece model and bought the first of many hearing aids; then I made my way up the managerial ladder.

In 1963, with two young children and a supportive wife I packed in a senior position with a struggling public company and moved to Lancashire to start up my own firm. Technically sound but commercially naïve I struggled and survived. I didn't try to hide my deafness and it had no impact on my business.

Since leaving the home based security of a national company I have contracted business in Spain, Italy and Australia and made time to visit friends in many Western Countries. Deafness has never interfered with my social life. I have a photograph of myself in my late twenties, in evening dress with a hearing aid in my top pocket and the cord up to my earpiece in full view. Deafness was and is accepted as part of my makeup.