He attended Hull Grammar School and was a keen athlete, winning the Victor Ludorum in his senior years.
He was always proud of his background, particularly of the fact that his mother insisted he continue at school beyond the minimum leaving age and worked extra hours to ensure the family could afford this, as she did for both of his younger brothers, who also followed him to the grammar school.
As a consequence of this career he moved from Yorkshire to Burnley in Lancashire, where his two younger children were born.
He was always a supporter of the Labour Party and was elected to the local council, becoming the Chair of the Education Committee.
He was fanatical about sport, namely cricket and football—both of which he was qualified to coach—and it was whilst watching Burnley playing Sheffield at Turf Moor that he had his fatal heart attack, aged only 48.