About me

Al Smith
Born 1933 in Barking, Essex.
Attended 11 different schools 1937 - 1948 as we moved around the UK trying to dodge the blitz. Started work at 15 in a print shop in Stepney Green, then a couple of abortive months with a West End hairdressing salon. After this, I worked in a photographic darkroom printing snapshots for the customers of local chemist shops.
This took me up to National Service. RAF at Hednesford for squarebashing (basic training), St Athan in Wales for trade training as an airframe mechanic and then over to Germany for the remainder of my two years service. 93 Squadron at RAF Jever working on Vampire jets.
On demob I worked for WHSmith, managing railway station bookstalls until I got the job with the Daily Express as a circulation representative. This company evolved into Express Newspapers and I evolved into a Sales Development Manager until I took early retirement in '94.
Married in the 1950s. Two children and three grandchildren.
Came to live on the Greek island of Kalymnos to start a new life with my then partner Faith. We married in 2000.