John Taylor (England)

Born in Lancashire, North West England in 1942. I started work as a Radio and Television trainee in 1957 I also loved the sea so the obvious choice for me was to join the Merchant Navy as a Radio Officer. I studied at the Radio College in Manchester and obtained a 2nd class PMG certificate. While I was there I took my amateur radio exams and have had call sign G3OWO since 1961. I went off to sea working for Marconi International Marine Co. in 1962 being signed to various shipping lines. Shell, Baltic Trading Co., Turnbull Scott etc. In 1965 I was married and came to work ashore as a Radio technician for the Police, Fire and Ambulance services. In 1975 I began teaching Marine Radio at the Northern Counties Radio School in Preston, where I now live. While I was teaching I updated my Marine certificates to MRGC and DTI Radar and returned to sea as an R/O with P&O in 1977. I stayed with them for 5 years before moving around various other companies including Kuwait Tankers, Houlder Brothers, Furness Withy etc finally ending my sea career in 1990. I am now retired and enjoying amateur radio and watching the ships sail by. It was a good life. I would do it all again!