Hi, My name is John Manderson, but I have used johnm55 as an internet i.d. for a long time. So instead of racking my brains for something more original I decided to use it as the name for the blog. Besides other than red wine, real ale and single malts, in moderate quantities, I have never been a fan of mind altering substances, so it was unlikely that I would have come up with anything much more original anyway.
A bit about me and what to expect in the blog.
Just to make things clear from the start.
I am not really a ‘grumpy old man.’ I am a middle-aged man (56 years old) who sometimes gets a bit hacked off with things.
I live in Wallington, which is a very typical South London suburb, however I was born and brought up on a farm (several farms) in the Scottish Borders.
I am married. I own three bikes, one car, and no pets.
Many things attract my interest but I do write about a some subjects on a more regular basis than others:
- Cycling – I love riding my bike and follow cycle sport in general but I am particularly fond of Road Racing.
- Politics – My views are generally greenish and a bit to the left of centre.
- Electoral reform – I produced a few posts on this subject running up to the Alternative Vote Referendum on May 5th 2011. I was in favour of the Alternative Vote, in fact it was the original purpose of starting the blog. The blog, however, tended to get sidetracked right from the start, and Electoral Reform will probably take a back seat for a while, but there will still be the occasional post. .
- Art – I am an amateur painter – and an amateur art critic, but only because no one pays me for my paintings or my opinions.
- Food – I enjoy eating and cooking so there will be the occasional recipe and restaurant review.
Other random facts about me:
I do not like flying, but love travelling by train. Any fashion sense that I may seem to have is courtesy of my wife. The football team I support is Heart of Midlothian, but when it comes to people chasing a modern-day version of a pigs bladder around a muddy field I actually prefer to watch rugby (either code).
Hi John,
Thought I would have a sticky beak at your blog site. I have only gotten as far as the “about me” section and have already had a good laugh. Looking forward to reading more when I have time.
Hi John,
I have a copy of that photo. William was my great grandfather from the second half of his family. My surname was Elliot before I was married and my 2 kids have carried on the Elliot name. I was born and brought up in the Scottish Borders, but moved to the USA about 13 years ago, so don’t get back to Scotland very often.
Jo
William is my Great Great Grandfather twice over. My Grandfather’s mother Helen was a daughter from his first marriage and my Grandmother’s father James was a son from his second marriage. I guess that makes us second cousins or something like that.
The family tree or what I know of it is online here if your want to take a look.
I have a fair bit of the family tree that some sort of cousin did a few years ago. There is some missing details on the earlier ones, such as your grandfather’s generation, who they got married to, their children. What I would like to discover now, is who William’s parents were and if he had any siblings. I think his parents were Henry Elliot and Esther Glendinning, but I’m not certain and have no more information on them. I only discovered the family tree on my mothers death earlier this year.