I began teaching in 1973 having gained a B. Ed. Degree for Worcester College of Education and then taught in Birmingham until retirement in 2011, with 37 years being at Swanshurst School. I obtained a M. Ed. From Birmingham University in 1993 and was awarded the M.B.E. for services to Education in the New Year’s Honours of 2012.
I became a teacher because of my love for History which I have tried to convey to my pupils throughout my teaching career. I was fortunate enough to come up through the College of Education route which meant that I had four years learning to be a teacher and made me a good one! I would say to the pupils and students that I taught that there is no such thing as bad History just bad history books and bad history teachers.
Throughout my teaching career I remained essentially a classroom teacher despite a long spell as a Head of Year. I have always believed in teaching the whole child which has meant that I have continually looked for opportunities to enhance the lives of my pupils through extra-curricular activities such as clubs, events, charities and competitions. In return this has enhanced my life and in 2009 I was very honoured to take a student to London, because of the work that we had done on Gun Crime, to meet Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister. My last role at Swanshurst was an Advanced Skills Teacher. Since 2008 I have worked with Steve McCabe, MP for Selly Oak Birmingham, to organise a Veterans’ Day at school with veterans from the Second World War and beyond coming to school to talk to the Year 8s about their experiences.
I am now an author of four books and do talks on a variety of different historical topics
Since retirement I have continued to be involved with Swanshurst School but have become more Doug the Historian. I have written six books and publications, have become a Trustee at Hartlebury Castle, Chairman of the Bodenham Educational Trust, a member of the Kings Heath and Moseley Muscular Dystrophy Society and do a wide variety of talks to Local History groups, the University of the Third Age and the Women’s Institute. I’ve appeared on television as an extra in Twenty Four Hours in the Past and, in 2024, the next. Series of Digging For Britain. The last was due to my involvement at an Archaeological dig at Hartlebury Castle in July 2023.