Following my father's return, we spent a few years living in Wrexham, in Wales, where my sister, Mary, was born. Then my father retired from the army., and in 1954, we moved to Hall Green, a suburb of Birmingham, the second largest city in England, where I spent the bulk of my early life until I was seventeen.
I started my education in 1955 at Hall Green Primary school, which was on Highfield Road in those days, before moving in 1958 to the then new Chilcote Primary School, which was conveniently much closer to home; just a ten minute walk. There is also a blog for all ex-Chilcote Primary School pupils, so do pay them a visit if you were there. In those far off days, for anyone who remembers me, I was known as Billy Hillyard. It was at that early age that the first inklings of my scientific interests became apparent. I bought my first book on astronomy and physics, Astronomy for Entertainment by the Russian scientist Yakov Perelman, when I was around eight or nine. The fascination has never left me.
William's Tale - The Early Years
My old friend Roger came across this concert advertisement. We went to this together on November 6th 1967, the year that Traffic first formed. They broke up in 1969, with Steve Winwood joining Blind Faith for less than a year before reforming Traffic in 1970. The Who did not smash up their equipment on this occasion, but were brilliant and very loud! I have no memory of the Herd and Marmalade, but do remember being impressed with how good the Tremeloes sounded, although not particularly a fan at the time. Kennedy Street Enterprises are still around promoting concerts in the UK.
Hall Green Primary School. I am not sure of the exact date, but I guess it is around 1957/8.
I am trying to identify all the pupils. If you recognize anyone, please use this alternative photograph to help me in the process.
I am trying to identify all the pupils. If you recognize anyone, please use this alternative photograph to help me in the process.
In 1961, when I was ten, I gained a scholarship to King Edwards School in Edgbaston, and progressed to being a more grown up Bill Hillyard. This was a very old school, founded by King Edward VI in 1552. The Queen had paid a visit in 1954 to celebrate the 400th anniversary; two years late, you'll notice. If you are interested in the old school, I have a page with some information and photographs.
Not surprisingly, my scholastic interests were the sciences culminating in “A” levels in Mathematics, Further (advanced) Mathematics and Physics when I was 17. However, studying turned out not to be my forté, and I only just achieved the necessary results to get into University. My main extra mural interests at the time were the "Disco" nights at Morton House (owned by the NSPCC) on the Bristol Road, going to the Midlands Arts Centre in Cannon Hill Park with my friend Melanie, and hanging out with friends in Streetly, Sutton Coldfield or at the Junior 70 Club at Carrs Lane Church in Birmingham City Center.
I was born in 1950 while my Father was serving overseas in the British army. My Mother was a Greek of the Diaspora, and had lived in a number of countries around the Mediterranean before she met my father, married him, and became a naturalized British citizen. She and I arrived, by ship, in the U.K. shortly after my first birthday in early 1952. Initially, we lived with my paternal Grandmother until my father returned to England. My mother had never so much as cooked an egg before, so she learned to cook from my grandmother, so could cook Yorkshire Pudding, but nothing that we, today, would call ethnic.
Deborah's Tale
Deborah, who is a very private person, has asked for a very brief biography.
She was born in New York City, and grew up in the village of Pelham, a suburb of NYC about 40 minutes by train into Grand Central. Like me, ours is her second marriage.
Apart from a period in Florida, she has lived and worked in and around NYC.
She was born in New York City, and grew up in the village of Pelham, a suburb of NYC about 40 minutes by train into Grand Central. Like me, ours is her second marriage.
Apart from a period in Florida, she has lived and worked in and around NYC.
A couple of pictures of the Village of Pelham showing the changing seasons.
In August 2000, Deborah and I married. 9/11 was very traumatic for us, especially Deborah who was on her way to work in a cab on the FDR, and saw the second plane fly into the tower. I was in my office, and heard the plane fly over our office building; the sound of the crash was incredible. Our offices were next to the NY Stock Exchange only a few blocks from the World Trade Center. Because the Wall Street area was closed, we were stuck at home for a week afterwards, unable to get to our office, and could see the plumes of smoke rising from Ground Zero. This was a part of the reason we decided to buy a house in the country north of NYC and get a little peace and quiet at the weekends. I was also becoming unhappy with the noise and bustle and pressures of the City. Finally, in November of 2002, having seen approximately 60 properties, we closed on our house which you can read all about on this site!
During the WSS years, I traveled extensively in Europe, the Far East, Australasia and within the U.S. Our favorite was the "around the world" trip that took in London, then via Hong Kong to the Philippines, Sydney, Melbourne and Los Angeles. I also particularly enjoyed going to Milan and Madrid. I also enjoyed many of the US trips, especially entertaining my friends at our Cincinnati client; you know who you are!.
During the WSS years, I traveled extensively in Europe, the Far East, Australasia and within the U.S. Our favorite was the "around the world" trip that took in London, then via Hong Kong to the Philippines, Sydney, Melbourne and Los Angeles. I also particularly enjoyed going to Milan and Madrid. I also enjoyed many of the US trips, especially entertaining my friends at our Cincinnati client; you know who you are!.
Our Tale
Early in 2005, I started, again, to feel the need for more free time, but was not quite ready to retire. Being up at the house for weekends was great, but driving up through heavy traffic on a Friday afternoon and then back on Sunday was tiring. It also gave us very little time to work on the renovations to the house. Thus, I negotiated a deal with WSS whereby I worked every other week. Of course, this halved my income, but was part of my plan to move towards early retirement. In 2006, the company having been bought out earlier by private equity firm Warburg Pincus, I was "let go". I decided that this was an appropriate time fully to retire.
We sold the NYC apartment in early 2007, thankfully before the housing bust, and now live in the house. I had already become comfortable with village life, so this move was not traumatic, even though I had been a city boy all my life. I even bought my first ever pair of blue jeans, and some plaid shirts like my hero Norm Abram. I have the tool belt too. This year (2010) I plan to start the process of getting my U.S. Citizenship. Having permanent residence (the "Green Card", which is not green at all) is fine, but has to be renewed every ten years, and does not allow me to vote. I have yet to decide on whether to keep my UK citizenship or not. It costs £395 (c. $650) to give it up.
We have reduced the amount of time we spend working on the house, and spend a lot more time in leisure pursuits. This web site takes up a lot of my time, as does the studio, and we have a huge number of books to read. We also like to travel, and go regularly to our favorite haunts; Bar Harbor, ME, Cape Cod, MA and Newport, RI. Particularly now that her father died, we spend a lot more time with Deborah's mother who lives further up state in NY.
We sold the NYC apartment in early 2007, thankfully before the housing bust, and now live in the house. I had already become comfortable with village life, so this move was not traumatic, even though I had been a city boy all my life. I even bought my first ever pair of blue jeans, and some plaid shirts like my hero Norm Abram. I have the tool belt too. This year (2010) I plan to start the process of getting my U.S. Citizenship. Having permanent residence (the "Green Card", which is not green at all) is fine, but has to be renewed every ten years, and does not allow me to vote. I have yet to decide on whether to keep my UK citizenship or not. It costs £395 (c. $650) to give it up.
We have reduced the amount of time we spend working on the house, and spend a lot more time in leisure pursuits. This web site takes up a lot of my time, as does the studio, and we have a huge number of books to read. We also like to travel, and go regularly to our favorite haunts; Bar Harbor, ME, Cape Cod, MA and Newport, RI. Particularly now that her father died, we spend a lot more time with Deborah's mother who lives further up state in NY.
My current wheels. An aging 1995 Nissan 4WD pickup-truck. Totally reliable and rather a lot of fun, although a little lacking in performance! Deborah has an AWD SUV; essential with all the snow we get here.
William & Deborah Hillyard
William & Deborah Hillyard
William & Deborah Hillyard
William & Deborah Hillyard
William & Deborah Hillyard
Biographies
William's Tale - University
I left King Edward's in 1968 to take up a place reading Physics and Astronomy at Queen Elizabeth College, London University. This was located on Campden Hill Road in Kensington, just around the corner from Dusty Springfield who lived in Aubrey Walk. Here I was far more interested in being on the Entertainments Committee, creating & running the Contemporary Arts Society, playing at the Folk Club and being the college Rag Chairman than I was in pursuing my studies. I see a pattern developing here!
I lived in a variety of relatively seedy apartments for most of this period including one in Kensington Gardens Square in Bayswater, not far from Queensway. I promise you; this sounds a lot grander than it was! Following that, my friend Joe and I ended up with a place in Hans Road just to the side of Harrods department store in Knightsbridge. While attractive from the outside, the interior of the building was somewhat less than salubrious. There were also over 80 stairs up to the apartment; another reason for the inexpensive rent. Great location, though.
I continued playing guitar, which I started playing when I was ten. In late 1968, I sold my Futurama III, a lovely red electric, vaguely a copy of a Fender, and bought a Landola acoustic. This was a beautiful guitar, hand made in Finland which looked similar to the Gibson Hummingbird, but with a bridge like an SJ-200. Rosewood back and sides, mahogany neck and spruce top, with rosewood fingerboard and bridge. I only let it go in 2009 when the body split open. I managed to achieve sufficient expertise to do a few sessions as a "floor singer" in some of the folk clubs. One place in which I never performed was Les Cousins, on Greek Street in Soho, but it was a regular hang-out. It was probably the most influential folk and blues club in London, at the time, and the all night sessions were legendary. It was here that I saw so many of the most prominent people in the contemporary folk world; Davy Graham, John Martyn, Al Stewart, Roy Harper, Ralph McTell, Bert Jansch etc.
The late '60s and early '70s were a great time for music of all types in London, and among the many concerts I attended, some of the stand-outs include seeing the Incredible String Band, Donovan, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, being in the middle of the front row at "Mothers" in Birmingham when Pink Floyd recorded part of Ummagumma, the Bonzos, Fairport Convention, the Moody Blues, the Who, Blind Faith (in Hyde Park, June 1969), Pentangle, Spooky Tooth (amazing live) The Edgar Broughton Band doing "Out Demons Out", Colosseum with Dick Heckstall-Smith playing two saxaphones simultaneously and many more.
Unsurprisingly, after my first year, my presence was no longer required! It looks as though academia was not beckoning.
I lived in a variety of relatively seedy apartments for most of this period including one in Kensington Gardens Square in Bayswater, not far from Queensway. I promise you; this sounds a lot grander than it was! Following that, my friend Joe and I ended up with a place in Hans Road just to the side of Harrods department store in Knightsbridge. While attractive from the outside, the interior of the building was somewhat less than salubrious. There were also over 80 stairs up to the apartment; another reason for the inexpensive rent. Great location, though.
I continued playing guitar, which I started playing when I was ten. In late 1968, I sold my Futurama III, a lovely red electric, vaguely a copy of a Fender, and bought a Landola acoustic. This was a beautiful guitar, hand made in Finland which looked similar to the Gibson Hummingbird, but with a bridge like an SJ-200. Rosewood back and sides, mahogany neck and spruce top, with rosewood fingerboard and bridge. I only let it go in 2009 when the body split open. I managed to achieve sufficient expertise to do a few sessions as a "floor singer" in some of the folk clubs. One place in which I never performed was Les Cousins, on Greek Street in Soho, but it was a regular hang-out. It was probably the most influential folk and blues club in London, at the time, and the all night sessions were legendary. It was here that I saw so many of the most prominent people in the contemporary folk world; Davy Graham, John Martyn, Al Stewart, Roy Harper, Ralph McTell, Bert Jansch etc.
The late '60s and early '70s were a great time for music of all types in London, and among the many concerts I attended, some of the stand-outs include seeing the Incredible String Band, Donovan, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, being in the middle of the front row at "Mothers" in Birmingham when Pink Floyd recorded part of Ummagumma, the Bonzos, Fairport Convention, the Moody Blues, the Who, Blind Faith (in Hyde Park, June 1969), Pentangle, Spooky Tooth (amazing live) The Edgar Broughton Band doing "Out Demons Out", Colosseum with Dick Heckstall-Smith playing two saxaphones simultaneously and many more.
Unsurprisingly, after my first year, my presence was no longer required! It looks as though academia was not beckoning.
This pattern of work followed by approximately equal periods of play continued until I took a longer-term contract with the Royal Bank of Scotland in 1994. This ran for two years during which time I worked with a New York based company - Wall Street Systems (WSS). As I said earlier, I had decided that I wanted to leave the U.K., and move to NYC, so when WSS offered me a position, I accepted.
I started to move over to NYC in 1996, and finally got my H1B work permit in 1997. I sold my apartment in Barnes, and my beloved Porsche, and shipped everything else to NYC. Soon after I arrived in NYC, I bought an apartment in mid-town Manhattan near the East River at 330 East 38th Street. This was a reasonably large apartment by New York standards; 1400 square feet with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room and a dining room. It was on the 17th floor of a building known as The Corinthian, which was the largest apartment block in New York City when it first opened in 1988. In some ways it was like having an apartment in an hotel, with doormen, a concierge and valet service, as well as a fully fitted gym, swimming pool and running track. It even had a function room for hire for parties. Total luxury.
The job turned out pretty well too. The company had done little more than dip their feet into the Fixed Income waters, so I had plenty of room to maneuver. It was also a great bunch of people. Unfortunately, as I had dropped out of University, getting my H1B work permit took a lot longer than it should have. This was a foretaste of the troubles I would eventually have getting permanent residence.
I started to move over to NYC in 1996, and finally got my H1B work permit in 1997. I sold my apartment in Barnes, and my beloved Porsche, and shipped everything else to NYC. Soon after I arrived in NYC, I bought an apartment in mid-town Manhattan near the East River at 330 East 38th Street. This was a reasonably large apartment by New York standards; 1400 square feet with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room and a dining room. It was on the 17th floor of a building known as The Corinthian, which was the largest apartment block in New York City when it first opened in 1988. In some ways it was like having an apartment in an hotel, with doormen, a concierge and valet service, as well as a fully fitted gym, swimming pool and running track. It even had a function room for hire for parties. Total luxury.
The job turned out pretty well too. The company had done little more than dip their feet into the Fixed Income waters, so I had plenty of room to maneuver. It was also a great bunch of people. Unfortunately, as I had dropped out of University, getting my H1B work permit took a lot longer than it should have. This was a foretaste of the troubles I would eventually have getting permanent residence.
William's Tale - New York City
Some photographs of the view from the living room.
At this point, I embarked on a career as a bar tender in various London Pubs. While entertaining, and for a newly ex-student, relatively lucrative, it was not realistic as a long-term proposition. It also screwed up my social life as I was working to 11:00 or midnight most nights. I decided not to re-sit my exams, and became a trainee computer programmer at the National Westminster Bank, earning a pittance. During my training, in the PL/1 programming language, for those who remember it, I set a record at IBM for the most errors ever generated in the training program. If memory serves me correctly, the mainframe computer I used initially was an IBM 360/30, with a whopping 32 kilobytes of memory (note; not megabytes, just 32,000 bytes) and the disk was, I think, 4 Megabytes. It was powerful stuff in 1969. Ultimately, this lack of ability to write computer programs resulted in my promotion to Systems Analyst and beyond. In any event, I lasted only 15 Months at Nat West before leaving to join a small consultancy (Computer Systems International - CSI) and getting a nice fat salary increase. My friend Joe and I also had to leave our Knightsbridge apartment and moved into a small place in Hammersmith. This did not last long as the daughter of the owner of the building complained if we walked around in the evening let alone talked or played music. It was during my time at CSI that I first married in October 1971.
Over the years, I moved regularly to various companies, mainly consultancies, spending several years at Mouncey & Partners, mainly on contract to Rank Xerox and the Xerox Corporation. This included nearly two years out in Milan, and several months in Amsterdam. Ultimately, in 1983, I decided to become freelance, and joined the CGO (Central Gilts Office). This was something of a turning point in my life. The following year, I returned to a single life, and moved from our large detached house to a tiny studio apartment in Putney, south-west London. Having sold the house, I made two major purchases; an apartment in nearby Barnes, and my first Porsche 911. While the apartment was a small two bedroom, only around 700 square feet, it was an 8th floor penthouse, with a roof terrace occupying the entire roof. Many times, I thought about moving into something larger, but it never happened, and I ended up living there for over ten years. The Porsche was magical, and never let me down for the nearly eight years I had it!
Freelancing continued for several years until I ended up at Paribas Capital Markets, as it was then, in 1987. Initially, I freelanced, then accepted a permanent position for a year and a half. It was in 1987 that I first visited New York. I enjoyed it a lot, and decided that I would see whether a move there was feasible. In the event, it took nearly ten years to happen, but more of that later. Moving on in 1990, I decided I would try to work for half the
Over the years, I moved regularly to various companies, mainly consultancies, spending several years at Mouncey & Partners, mainly on contract to Rank Xerox and the Xerox Corporation. This included nearly two years out in Milan, and several months in Amsterdam. Ultimately, in 1983, I decided to become freelance, and joined the CGO (Central Gilts Office). This was something of a turning point in my life. The following year, I returned to a single life, and moved from our large detached house to a tiny studio apartment in Putney, south-west London. Having sold the house, I made two major purchases; an apartment in nearby Barnes, and my first Porsche 911. While the apartment was a small two bedroom, only around 700 square feet, it was an 8th floor penthouse, with a roof terrace occupying the entire roof. Many times, I thought about moving into something larger, but it never happened, and I ended up living there for over ten years. The Porsche was magical, and never let me down for the nearly eight years I had it!
Freelancing continued for several years until I ended up at Paribas Capital Markets, as it was then, in 1987. Initially, I freelanced, then accepted a permanent position for a year and a half. It was in 1987 that I first visited New York. I enjoyed it a lot, and decided that I would see whether a move there was feasible. In the event, it took nearly ten years to happen, but more of that later. Moving on in 1990, I decided I would try to work for half the
William's Tale - London
Two Porsches.
Above, the 911 SC Targa.
Below, the
911 Carrera Targa Sport.
Above, the 911 SC Targa.
Below, the
911 Carrera Targa Sport.
year, and take off the rest; so I took off several months before starting a contract with Charterhouse Bank. Then more time off before accepting a project at CSFB, on the Hugo project. The remuneration was such that in 1991, I traded in the car for a much newer Porsche 911. Following this project, I took off nearly a year from work, in part to spend more time with my Mother through her illness and subsequent death. I also decided that I would change to using "William" in place of "Bill", which I had never really liked.
I worked a number of shorter contracts after this, taking time off in between. Clients included UBS and a couple of stints at the Nomura Research Institute. I was taking an extended break, spending four or five mornings a week at the gym trying to get into shape, when a freelance agent, with whom I had worked before, called me about a contract. I was not really interested, but as a freelance, one never alienates agencies who find you work! As it happened, it turned out to be interesting and very lucrative; but more of that on the next section.....
I worked a number of shorter contracts after this, taking time off in between. Clients included UBS and a couple of stints at the Nomura Research Institute. I was taking an extended break, spending four or five mornings a week at the gym trying to get into shape, when a freelance agent, with whom I had worked before, called me about a contract. I was not really interested, but as a freelance, one never alienates agencies who find you work! As it happened, it turned out to be interesting and very lucrative; but more of that on the next section.....