I was born and educated largely in London, where I took a degree in Social Anthropology at the London School of Economics. My professional career began in human resources management, progressed through general management, and culminated in my appointment as Chief Executive of the UK subsidiary of a Canadian mining company. I took early retirement in order to assist my wife with her bed-and-breakfast business, after which I spent a further ten years counselling and coaching chief executives before finally retiring.
Poetry has been a lifelong passion of mine, encompassing writing, reading, and recitation. I believe poetry can be found in almost every aspect of life and that people from all walks of life can respond to it. While at university, I founded a literary magazine with a strong emphasis on poetry. Today, I attend two poetry-reading circles in Malvern, where I enjoy listening to others reflect on poems they love and sharing my own choices, including my own work. Effective poetic recital remains a challenge for many, and I firmly believe that a poetry laureate must not only understand verse but also be able to deliver it with its full meaning and emotional force intact.
My wife, Jutta, and I were married on the 24th March 1962, that's over 63 years and have had three sons during this wonderful time. Our eldest, Robert, worked in compliance for a French investment bank before taking early retirement. He and his wife, Diane, have given us two grandsons and a granddaughter. Adrian has pursued a long career as a professional chef, while Martin, whose talents lie in IT and who is largely self-taught, developed this website. As advancing years made the upkeep of a large house and garden impractical, Jutta and I moved in 2013 to an apartment in Malvern, having lived in the Ross-on-Wye area for more than fifty years. My pastimes have included bridge, played regularly at clubs in Gloucestershire and Herefordshire, and service as a former Chairman of the County Association, as well as croquet in the summer months. I also enjoy a daily game of Scrabble with Jutta, shared reading, and walking throughout the year.
My relationship with Jutta has been central to my life. When we first met, I was working in Bristol, a city I came to love. Jutta had travelled from Munich to work there as an au pair, and we met at a social evening organised by the Bristol Anglo-Scandinavian Society. I never let her go after that first meeting, and she has been my inspiration ever since.
Tony Shadforth (1931 - 2026)