Autobiography of Nigel Gordon Nicholson Chapter 2
1986-1990
So it was now 1986. I had lost my father and I was living in a semi-detached house in Exeter. I was making some money from my modest property investments at that time, but nowhere near enough to live on. I kept at plumbing for a while. Then I had the job servicing photo booths. By this time I had become a keen water skier, and the flexibility of my work meant I could go out a couple of days a week which was great in the summer if the weather was fine. It relied of course on a pal or two coming with me to take in turns driving the boat and being on the skis.
During the final years of the 80s I had acquired a bit more property with my business partner Paul, but the outgoings and income were finely balanced. It was always my view at that time, to live within my personal earnings, whatever work I was doing, and reinvest any property profits to try and build something worthwhile for the future.
I had friends and family and my Mother lived not far away. She had remarried in the 60s to Bob, a loving and supportive husband to Mum and we all cared for and respected him. He had not been married prior to meeting Mum, who had 4 children of course. The eldest 2 my brother Robert and sister Sheila were both adults and living independently at that time. However, Mandy my younger sister was about only about 8 at the time Mum and Bob met. I was to join the household a few years later when I was 15, ( having lived with my father for a few years) so Bob was my main father figure for many years since 1966, only passing away in 2015, which was 4 years after Mum, who was to die in 2011 aged 86.
1989 was to see big changes in my personal life. I had not long left a failed relationship, from which I had a daughter Natalie. I was with my business partner Paul one evening that was to change my life. Sunday evenings was a practical time to visit what houses we owned to collect rents. As our business grew we would eventually pass the management over to a lettings agent in 1995, but for many years we ran things entirely.
After we had collected rents we would have a drink at a local pub. However one Sunday evening I decided to go to a 'Singles' night at a hotel in Exeter. As Paul and I were chatting in the bar I became aware of a lady with nice curly dark hair pass by on her way into the venue room. When Paul left to go home, I went into the venue and met up with another pal. The lighting was a bit dim and I looked around to see if I could spot the lady I saw earlier. There she was, right opposite an almost empty dance floor. Rather than battle my way around the perimeter through tables, chairs, and people, I walked across the dance floor and asked her to dance. Apart from her stunning good looks, I was immediately taken by her warm personality, and she introduced herself as Linda. We had a few dances before she went back to her friends. I could not guess how old (or young) she was. She was obviously younger than me so I avoided asking. I did ask her out, (who wouldn't I thought) and the answer was a firm no. However, I did see her a couple more Sunday evenings, at the singles venue that she attended with a friend, although there was never a firm plan to meet. However, my persistence paid off and we she eventually agreed to a date and meet me one evening and we started seeing each other in late June 1989.
We obviously got on very well, and within what would have been a very short time, I realised I wanted to marry her. So on the 25th August 1989, her 23rd birthday and only about 9 weeks after our first proper 'date' I proposed. Fortunately, she accepted, and we married on my 40th birthday on January 16th, 1991. We had set up home in a nice house in Exeter, which was a great location only a few hundred metres from my property business interests.
Previous Next
Chapter 1 - 1951-1985
Chapter 2 - 1986-1990
Chapter 3 - 1990-2000
Chapter 4 - 2000-2004
Chapter 5 - 2004 onwards
1986-1990
So it was now 1986. I had lost my father and I was living in a semi-detached house in Exeter. I was making some money from my modest property investments at that time, but nowhere near enough to live on. I kept at plumbing for a while. Then I had the job servicing photo booths. By this time I had become a keen water skier, and the flexibility of my work meant I could go out a couple of days a week which was great in the summer if the weather was fine. It relied of course on a pal or two coming with me to take in turns driving the boat and being on the skis.
I had friends and family and my Mother lived not far away. She had remarried in the 60s to Bob, a loving and supportive husband to Mum and we all cared for and respected him. He had not been married prior to meeting Mum, who had 4 children of course. The eldest 2 my brother Robert and sister Sheila were both adults and living independently at that time. However, Mandy my younger sister was about only about 8 at the time Mum and Bob met. I was to join the household a few years later when I was 15, ( having lived with my father for a few years) so Bob was my main father figure for many years since 1966, only passing away in 2015, which was 4 years after Mum, who was to die in 2011 aged 86.
1989 was to see big changes in my personal life. I had not long left a failed relationship, from which I had a daughter Natalie. I was with my business partner Paul one evening that was to change my life. Sunday evenings was a practical time to visit what houses we owned to collect rents. As our business grew we would eventually pass the management over to a lettings agent in 1995, but for many years we ran things entirely.
After we had collected rents we would have a drink at a local pub. However one Sunday evening I decided to go to a 'Singles' night at a hotel in Exeter. As Paul and I were chatting in the bar I became aware of a lady with nice curly dark hair pass by on her way into the venue room. When Paul left to go home, I went into the venue and met up with another pal. The lighting was a bit dim and I looked around to see if I could spot the lady I saw earlier. There she was, right opposite an almost empty dance floor. Rather than battle my way around the perimeter through tables, chairs, and people, I walked across the dance floor and asked her to dance. Apart from her stunning good looks, I was immediately taken by her warm personality, and she introduced herself as Linda. We had a few dances before she went back to her friends. I could not guess how old (or young) she was. She was obviously younger than me so I avoided asking. I did ask her out, (who wouldn't I thought) and the answer was a firm no. However, I did see her a couple more Sunday evenings, at the singles venue that she attended with a friend, although there was never a firm plan to meet. However, my persistence paid off and we she eventually agreed to a date and meet me one evening and we started seeing each other in late June 1989.
We obviously got on very well, and within what would have been a very short time, I realised I wanted to marry her. So on the 25th August 1989, her 23rd birthday and only about 9 weeks after our first proper 'date' I proposed. Fortunately, she accepted, and we married on my 40th birthday on January 16th, 1991. We had set up home in a nice house in Exeter, which was a great location only a few hundred metres from my property business interests.
Previous Next
Chapter 1 - 1951-1985
Chapter 2 - 1986-1990
Chapter 3 - 1990-2000
Chapter 4 - 2000-2004
Chapter 5 - 2004 onwards
