Monopolizing Knowledge

Born into a family with engineering roots, Ian was educated at Devonshire Road School and later Tyldesley Boys School in Blackpool. Upon leaving school, he acquired an engineering apprenticeship and was formally trained as an electrical engineer. After successfully completing that apprenticeship, Ian subsequently pursued a career as a marine engineer officer where he, as a young man, travelled the world. Some years into that new career, he met his future wife, his beloved Annie, on a passenger cruise ship leaving Singapore. Moving shore-side to settle down, Ian was recruited into the British Foreign Service where eventually he had joint responsibility for many aspects of physical, technical and operational security at 'high risk' government buildings, embassies and military establishments within the United Kingdom and overseas. During one posting, Ian was involved personally in the security arrangements for a senior member of the British Royal Family. Ian has subsequently travelled and worked extensively throughout the world in the private, as well as the public sectors, and has lived in Singapore, Southeast Asia, Pretoria, South Africa, and Brussels. During the latter period, Ian was involved in the security arrangements of a former President of the United States of America during his visit to Brussels and the European Commission. Ian has lectured on the principles and matters of high-risk security at a number of training establishments run by the British government and the British military. He is a fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology and holds a BSc honours degree in psychology, sociology, criminology, forensic psychology, and counselling. In view of Ian's comprehensive experience of the world, and life in general, he decided to share some of his observations and thoughts on a number of subjects, resulting in this collection of poems. Enjoy.