Sid Wales was born in Poplar, London in 1932 with parents who were typical hard working Eastenders, his Dad was a stevedore in the London docks at a time when everything was manhandled on and off the ships and his mother was a shopkeeper with an 'open all hours' requirement to serve locals and passers by who had little money to spend His first school was Dingle Lane and it is said that he had to be 'frog marched' for the first week or so. The war came and he saw London burning during the blitz and was in fact bombed out twice before he was moved to Essex where an odd bomb found its way to the bottom of the garden at his Gran's house and just blew all the windows out !! Mum's name was Rachel and she felt that Hitler was trying to get her specifically since he was not able to put her in a concentration camp Sid was taken out of London by his Mum at the begining of the blitz but brought back when things did not work out with the 'hosts' just in time to be back in London when the real bombing started

He finished up in Laindon in Essex where he spent three days a week at Markhams Chase school and got himself a scholarship to King Edward VI Grammar school in Chelmsford. War over and a desire to join the Navy Sid became an Artificer Apprentice and eventually an REA serving on several ships before deciding that he would be better suited in industry and bought himself out of the Service. By this time he was married and had a daughter, Janet. Setting his sights on a top post he established a career path and progressed through all levels of industrial operations in electronics from design and development through quality, manufacturing engineering, manufacturing, marketing and sales and even accounting until he made it by being appointed President of a public Company in the USA

Sid has been involved in a number of successful start up Companies in Europe and finally retired to set up a facility to assist Small Companies (SMEs), start up enterprises and Charities during the early days of establishing their operations

He is a Chartered Engineer and a member of the IET

He has four children, all grown up and married, to date has six grandchildren. He was married twice and sadly both his wives are dead

Sid has written a book that tells of his life in much greater detail. It is called 'Memories of an Old Man 1932 to (date to be added)'

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Last Update 08-Jan-2012

Date first published 07-Dec-2005