John Saunders

I was born on May 18, 1934 in Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, England. My father, Harry was a bank clerk, my mother, Mildred (nee Holcroft) an accounting machine operator. I have two brothers, Keith and Philip. The family first lived in the same block in Ashton-under-Lyne as my paternal grandparents, but were moved by the bank across Manchester to Worsley at the outbreak of World War 2. I was a precocious boy, and was expelled from pre-school for telling the teacher what she would teach next. I showed early a bent for making things when I selected a Meccano construction set rather an offered toy fort with soldiers. One of my favorite books was titled "101 things a boy can make". I again got in trouble in both elementary schools although I was second in the school in scholastic achievement. I developed a dislike for female teachers who seemed to me to favor girls. Fortunately I won a scholarship to Manchester Grammar School which employed only male teachers. I there selected the science path rather than humanities. I was not in the first rank in this school which was exclusively for high achievers, and studied hard, eschewing most social life and avoiding girls, whom I considered a waste of time and money at this stage of life. I did well in the General Certificate of Education and went on to the additional three years for those destined for university. I also did well in the Advanced Certificate of Education, being awarded a State Certificate, which later provided for my University expenses and some living money.