Tutor Biographies

Lecturer/Senior Lecturer at Bedford College of Education (later De Montford University) 1976-2001 and part time 2001-2004, teaching English at graduate and post-graduate level. Teaching English at Letchworth Settlement and Bedford Retirement Centre 2004-2010.

Worked for many years for North Herts District Council in Museums as Education Officer; then keeper and senior keeper of Natural Sciences; and Countryside Officer.
Past President of Hertfordshire Natural History Society including post of Recorder for Vascular Plants. Currently President and Chairman of Letchworth Natural History Society.
Landscape and wildlife photographer. Author of:
'The Butterflies of Hertfordshire'
'Wildflower Habitats of Hertfordshire'
'Wildlife of the Letchworth Area'

My background is in primary school teaching.  For twenty years, whilst my children were growing up, I was involved in Parentline as a volunteer and committee member.  I also worked with children on a voluntary basis.

I went back to teaching as a supply teacher for nine years, before retiring from this five years ago. Having taken numerous writing courses, I began submitting articles and fillers to magazines and was delighted to have them accepted.  In 2006 I was encouraged by fellow students to start a 'Get Writing' course of my own at the Settlement.  Thinking it would only last for the first five sessions, I am pleased to say that it has now run for four years with some students coming back year after year.

Apart from writing my interests include dog training, bird watching, walking and reading.

A decrepit shadow of his former self! A long distance walker who now toddles to the Post Office; a Round The World Yachtsman who is now content with a dat sail! Formerly an A level Chief Examiner for an Examination board now amalgamated out of existence; formerly a Faculty Head in a large Essex Comprehensive which no longer exists! But in spite of all this, and having no sense of humour, a popular speaker with too little time to do all the things I want to do havinh worked for Cambridge and Essex Universities and UEA. Has over 40 years with the WEA and still with a grasp on sanity. Painter and art historian, writer and Grumpy Old Man who speaks with authority on history because he was there!

John worked for over twenty years as a lecturer at Trinity College of Music, London, leaving in 2003 to resume a freelance career as teacher and performer (organ and piano accompaniment). Since 1992 he has led various WEA classes in Hertfordshire and more recently led U3A groups in the area.

Educated at Oxford, Cambridge, King's College, London and Harvard. Awarded a British Academy Studentship. Winner of the Gregg Bury Prize, Cambridge. Formerly, Research Fellow, Oxford and Burney Student, Cambridge, Visiting Fellow, Harvard. Acting Director of Studies (Philosophy & Religious Studies), Cambridge. Currently, he lectures at Oxford, Cambridge and London. He has published a number of articles in international journals.

Paul Palmer's archaeological career began in 1960 as founder member of North Hertfordshire Archaeological Society, later becoming Chairman. Paul is still an active independent archaeologist in the UK and abroad, with a BA (Hons) Degree, Diploma in European Humanities and membership of the Institute for Archaeologist (IFA). He is an experienced tutor, lecturer and guide in archaeology, ancient history and landscape studies.

Richard Brown is the author of two collections of poetry for children (CUP 1993); he has edited and appeared in poetry anthologies and has self-published work for adults. A former primary teacher and an advisory teacher for literacy, in the 1990s he became General Editor of Cambridge Reading - a major reading scheme published by Cambridge University Press - during which time he worked closely with many authors, illustrators and editors. He is the author of over a hundred educational and children's books, including six children's novels (Scholastic). He now concentrates on writing poetry at the adult level.

Richard has over thirty years experience of the Inland Waterways and now presents an average of a hundred lectures a year on various aspects of canals and rivers together with other historical subjects.He has written several books and researches and maintains two websites on historical canal subjects.

Rosemary Hayes has written numerous books for children for a variety of age groups and in a variety of genres including fantasy and historical and contemporary fiction.
She has a background in publishing, is a reader for a well known authors’ advisory service and also runs creative writing workshops for both children and adults.
For more information visit her website at www.rosemaryhayes.co.uk

Born in the USA, Dr Sharon Priestley has lived in the UK for many years and has taught a number of literature courses for the University of Cambridge's Institute of Continuing Education and writing courses elsewhere. Although her background is in 18th Century British literature, she is equally interested in getting students involved in lively discussions about classic and modern novels, short stories, fairy tales and more. Come along to one of her courses and participate in some fascinating debates!

Stephen Halliday was educated at Brentwood School, Essex and Pembroke College, Cambridge, graduating in history in 1964. During a long career in business and in business education he completed, in 1998, a PhD on Sir joseph Bazalgette and the Main Drainage of London which became the subject of a book (The Great Stink, 1999), two television programmes and a radio programme. He has subsequently  written further books on the London Underground Railway (Underground to Everywhere, 2001); the builders of Victorian London (Making the Metropolis, 2003) Water (Water: a Turbulent History, 2004); Newgate Prison (Newgate: London's Prototypeof Hell, 2006); and the struggle against epidemic disease (The Great Filth, 2007). He has completed a book about the history of food.
He is married to Jane, a community midwife based at the Rosie in Cambridge and they have two children: Faye a nurse, wife and mother; and Simon, a student; and one grandson, Nelson. Stephen is also a local JP and is sometimes to be seen on the Cam towpath coaching a Pembroke or Addenbrookes boat.