Author: Robert May

Winbury

During that time my parents' homes near Maidenhead were at Taplow, and then at The Fisheries, Bray. My first memory is that if I missed the bus then it was a long way to walk to school, both from Taplow and then from Bray!

In fact I remember very little about Winbury school. I remember the old house and the headmaster's office. I also recall that during my time at Winbury the gardens were substantially altered to include a number of portable buildings. I recall climbing the perimeter wall and calling to girls from a nearby school. On one occasion I fell down a tree in Winbury which resulted in a three monthly spell in hospital and recuperation at home. I recall games and sports' days at Stafferton Lodge, and the fact that it was a long way to walk home from there via Braywick and Bray cricket grounds. I also recall Winbury cricket games and matches on Bray cricket fields close to Bray Church.

(Bray church entered my life again in 1965 for my father and my father-in-law were on the church PCC, and Jenny and I were married in Bray church.)

The standard of teaching at Winbury must have been pretty good for me to pass my 11+ and my common entrance examinations.

In 1955 I left Winbury to go to boarding school in Hertfordshire.

My close friends at Winbury during that time were Roger Warburton, Michael Sinclair, Michael Szekely, Barry Randle, and Michael Hunt.

My immediate contacts who were at Winbury are now as follows:-

I am married to a girl who was briefly at Winbury, Jennifer Millard.
My brothers in law (on my wife's side) are Peter Millard and Andrew Millard who were both at Winbury.
My brother in law (on my sister's side) is Michael Hunt who was at Winbury and who attended the first reunion in 2012.
My mother Eileen May (still with us, just) was one of the cub scout leaders at Winbury.

Post Winbury

On leaving Winbury I attended Merchant Taylor's School in Hertfordshire as a boarder.

In 1960, (having by then built my own car) I joined the Austin Motor Company in Birmingham to become an engineering apprentice.

In 1965 I married Jennifer Millard, a former Winbury pupil and a qualified Teacher.

I have always enjoyed engineering and eventually became a Chartered Engineer in the disciplines of mechanical and production engineering.

For the next 20 years promotion in the automotive, glass, and process control sectors, led to me becoming managing director of three engineering companies.

In 1985 my career changed direction and I joined Investors in Industry plc. (Now known as 3i, a venture capital company.) My role was to assess the viability of investing in engineering and related companies within North America and Europe.

I retired from 3i in 2001. Since then I have supervised the conversion of a number of barns close to my home at Shelsley Walsh hill climb, the oldest motor sport venue in the world. I am a Director of The Shelsley Trust.

My hobbies have usually involved cars, and gardening. For 20 years I competed at hill climbing. Now Jenny and I enjoy leisurely European tours in our vintage Talbot motor car.

We have two married children and five grandchildren.

Jenny and I had originally planned to return to Berkshire shortly after we were married. Careers, friendships, offspring, and the delightful Worcestershire/Shropshire countryside, have meant that we have had no inclination to move far from our original home in Bewdley on the banks of the River Severn.

Robert May - 08/01/2013