About Me

I was born in Exeter, Devonshire, in 1955, and educated in Sheffield and Old Coulsdon, Surrey. I originally studied molecular biology at what is now the University of Westminster, but dropped out after my second year to pursue other interests. I have since had a wide variety of jobs, such as working as an engineer for the chemical industry, as a PA in the MOD at the start of the first Gulf War, in the DoT Press Office at the height of the roads protests, as a finance officer in HM Treasury and at the Home Office, and in a mental institution. There are more similarities between these positions than are at first apparent! I have also run my own business as a weaponsmith; my reproduction Japanese swords acquired a very good reputation.

I gained a BA in Archaeology and History at Birkbeck College in 2001. I went on to gain my MA in Archaeology in 2003, having submitted a dissertation that challenged the conventional interpretation of Celtic and Romano-Celtic pagan iconography. In my spare time I am also a musician, photographer, writer, martial artist and healer. Additionally I have travelled extensively in America and Europe, and have visited parts of Canada, including spending two weeks camping alone in the Rockies. There were also a couple of roadtrips around the US. My favourite occupations are watching cats and watching my daughter grow up.

Ryujin Swords is located in rural Derbyshire, not too far from the Peak District. At the moment I spend my time between running my business, helping my partner with her business, helping her run the smallholding, and helping her look after our daughter.

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