BACKGROUND
I have been making violins, violas and cellos since 1976 when I attended a part-time course at The London College of Furniture under the tuition of Pat Naismith with the valuable assistance of George Moon. In 1978 I moved from London with my partner to the Exmoor National Park. By that time the violin obsession had fully developed and I set aside my architectural career to make instruments.In 1981 I participated in the Facta Britannia Violin Making Competition, won the first prize for Tonal Quality for a violin, and was runner-up to Rowan Amour-Brown in the competition overall.The following year my cello won the overall prize for best instrument. During the subsequent 5 years I made approximately 35 instruments, including 9 cellos, was profiled in the 'The Strad' in April 1983, and attended the Cremona Triennial Festival in 1985. In this period I also set up an evening class in Violin Making at East Devon College, which functioned for 23 years, and instigated the Tiverton and Dartington Violin Conferences. After 1986 my architectural work took precedence and my output of instruments dwindled for a while. Now, having taken early retirement I intend to fulfill my need to make more instruments and contribute further to British Violin Making.