Richard Prince
My parents and I moved from Surrey to
Launceston in 1953. Dad was with the Air Ministry and took a posting to the SW offices
which were then in the castle grounds. From the London suburbs to a very rural area was quite
a culture shock. The Ministry decided to close the Launceston offices in 1959, hence our move
to the Exeter area. My parents left Launceston a few months before the end of that school
year, so I lodged with our neighbouring farmer for the remainder of the term.
Somehow, I found myself employed in the Port Transport Industry by the end of that year and finished up MD and Secretary of a group of companies that operated the commercial docks at Exmouth, a haulage fleet, holiday site, 4 pubs and a golf course (now owned by Nigel Mansell). I took early retirement in 1999 and have since concentrated on running my photographic studio in Exeter.
We have four children and two grandchildren, and another (grandchild!) expected any day. Shirley, my wife, has in fact gone up to Wolverhampton today [August 2001] to look after our daughter who is likely to go into hospital tomorrow to have things started off.
Our eldest son is a chief inspector of police with the Gwent force and his wife is a vicar with three parishes near Abergavenney. Our daughter went into banking from Hull Uni but will now be a full time mum. Our next son sells Saab cars and our youngest son has just got his degree in Journalism, Film & Broadcasting from Cardiff Uni.
Launceston is a special place to me and I visit there 2 or 3 times a year, although I have
had really no contact with college connections. It's good to see the names but gives you
something of a shock with news about Peter Griffin. I recall he was quite a big fellow. One
memory I have of him (if I'm right) is a musical evening in the assembly hall when he led a
skiffle group and started by saying to the audience, 'Hi folks!' Funny how these things stick
in your mind.
(Email from Richard - August 2nd, 2001)