I arrived in North Devon at the tender age of 4, courtesy of my father, the recently appointed Headmaster of Buckland Brewer County Primary School. My rather cynical outlook (nothing has changed) later suggested that his appointment was considerably enhanced by the fact that he had 4 children (2 more to come), all of Primary School age, who would attend BBCPS, which was threatened with closure due to decreasing numbers!
Unfortunately, I was not my father’s favourite son, and in spite of a rather magnificent 11+ pass with an essay on the ‘Birds of Prey’ of the British Isles (all learnt from the Birds of Prey cards attached to the Red Label Tea packets), and a completely anonymous 5 years at Bideford Grammar School, of which the highlight was a 36/36 finish at the school’s cross-country race, father decided that there was not enough room at Chez Buckland Brewer for both of us.
So, on the 31st of May 1965, aged 16yrs and 1 week and complete with suitcase, I was packed into the family Ford Consul and taken up to London, where unbeknownst to me, father had found me a job. He hadn’t found anywhere for me to live, but heigh-ho, there had to be somewhere – and that evening I was settling into my new lodgings in Penge, SE London, while father was heading back to the remaining 5 children and a wife who was wondering where her eldest son had gone.
Fast forward 4 years – dad was in poor health and facing early retirement. Mother contacted me and asked if I would think about coming back to Devon to help her. Being a decent chap, and forgiving of his dad, I moved back down complete with wife! What? Yes, true, married at 20 years and 3 months, how ridiculous, but the days of living together hadn’t actually arrived at that point!
Scott’s Model Bakery on the Quay at Bideford occupied me until September 1972, when I had accepted that a 5.5-day week, plus 2 weeks holiday didn’t really do ‘it’ anymore, so I joined the Army, initially for a 6-year term. A lovely ex-Regimental Sergeant Major (Retd) who frequented the Coach & Horses at Buckland Brewer, said after choking on his beer, “he’ll be back in a week”.
Well matey, ‘up yours’ because after 22 years and 4 weeks, WO2 (acting unpaid) Levick retired from said Army, having loved every bit of it – the fitness (3 marathons, 27 half marathons), the sport, the reality of Northern Ireland x 3, the sheer exhilaration of doing something that he loved, and a sense of being someone. I was fortunate enough (being REME) to be attached to the 1st Battalion the Devonshire & Dorset Regiment in Osnabruck, for 3 years. During that time, I qualified as a Football Referee, and went on to instruct, once back in the UK, on behalf of the Football Association (the FA) – the first non-commissioned Officer, ever to do so! Highlighted games were as an Army Select List Referee and included refereeing Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Southampton, Oxford United (they used to be in the old First Division), and the West German Army vs the Dutch Army. In those days, both countries had National Service, so there were 18 Internationals playing in that game. However, FIFA took exception to the fact that a British Army Referee had officiated, as it was supposed to be a FIFA appointment. Bit late to moan as the game had been played!
The last few years were spent at the Army School of Electronic Engineering, as an instructor in HNC Electronics, a really enjoyable time, but in October 1994, the day finally arrived, and I became a civilian, and moved back to Bideford; no-one cared what your rank had been, where you had served, or what you had been and done, all they wanted to know was ‘can you do the job’?
Birmingham Midshires Building Society thought so, and the newly qualified Financial Consultant was appointed to look after the Barnstaple and Minehead Offices which was probably the best period of my life to date; I loved it, loved the people contacts and sorting out issues, and as a result was promoted to Area Manager after 10 months. This also coincided with joining Bideford Bridge Rotary Club, the start of a long association. One year later, I became one of only two Regional Managers – in fact, I was so driven to succeed, purely because I thought that someone would tap me on the shoulder one day and say, ‘We’ve found you out, and that would be the end of it’!
However, the journey continued, and an offer was received from The Woolwich – a much bigger job, more £’s (needed following a divorce), and a move to Northeast London, a slight contrast to Abbotsham Road in Bideford. Shortly afterwards, Barclays decided to buy The Woolwich, and naturally wanted their own personnel in place – it was a bitter time, ending in an Industrial Tribunal, financially rewarding, but confidence shattering. A £300,000 mortgage, and no job, although the pay-off helped. I’d finally been found out and that was almost the lowest point of my life.
I went back to Birmingham Midshires (which had been taken over by the Halifax – HBoS) and spoke to my previous manager and mentor, who made an opening for me in the City. It was back to what I did best, people management, results, and surely but slowly, the mojo returned. I was given the Hammersmith and Westminster Area to manage, which was then languishing in 103/106th position in the Halifax league tables. The team I took over, who I had remained in contact with, created the mantra ‘must work harder’ and 12 months later H&W were 6th nationally. It was unbelievable, but proof that a good team is far better than the sum of its individual parts – all of that team were better than me at everything, but I created a team that wanted to work for each other, and I still feel proud of them to this day. I also managed to fit in (through Hertfordshire University) an advanced Counselling qualification, which had always been of interest.
Unfortunately, if you’re good at something, you inevitably get moved on, so the next ‘fix’ became the Halifax Estate Agency Financial Services Arm, comprising 300+ Estate Agency branches, and 300 Independent Estate Agencies, which had an HBoS branch in situ. This new role extended from Morpeth in Northumberland, down to Truro in Cornwall. Driving 50 thousand + miles per annum was beginning to take its toll, and when my younger brother died of a heart attack, reality kicked in, so I decided to finish with Banking and started my own business as a Management Consultant.
As things transpired, the opportunity arose to move back ‘home’, and in 2009 the move to Bay View Road took place – the nature of his work enabled me to continue in business, but then other things started taking up my time! I became Chairman of Harbour, the Charity for the homeless and disadvantaged, joined the New Instow Players, volunteered for the Appledore/Instow Ferry, rejoined the Rotary etc. In the end, there was no time for (paid) work, so the business was closed. Then, in 2019, I decided I did not want to work anymore, so became the Parish Clerk for Westleigh, a place so nice that I moved there in 2020!
Having lived in Instow for 18 months prior to the move to Westleigh and being aware of many of the so-called issues, I have (just about) settled into the role, but now hardly have time for golf!
