Peter Harrison was born on 8 November 1946, left school at 15 and worked at the local colliery Easington).
At 18 Peter was living in Southhall, West London working in a tyre warehouse (offshoot of Firestone) general warehouse work, forklift driver etc. He then returned to the North East and worked at the local Water Company.
It was there (middle of winter, digging ditches in the snow) when an old school friend of Peter’s drove past bipping his horn and waving at him. He was driving a Mercedes! Peter had helped this same lad at school (he was a bit slow). It got Peter thinking ... "I'm digging holes in the snow; he's driving a posh car."
Peter was in his twenties and going nowhere. He started studying (didn't tell anyone because he thought he would have been laughed at.) A year later he scrapped 3 O levels. The next year, another 3. Peter was lucky to be accepted on a three year course at Durham.
While he was studying to be a teacher he took A levels. When he finally started teaching he took a BSc part time, followed by a MA, Peter ended his days as a Head of Dept, at Shotton Hall Comp School.
In the meantime he decided to spread his wings and brought a fish and chip shop ... He did rather well, 10 years later he had 6 shops.
Peter always wanted to write (so much to write about) ... he left home at 16, had several years in different lodging houses ... many different jobs ... had met so many people and so had lots of material.
Peter describes himself as a wild young man ... By 14 he was covered in tattoos from his finger tips to his chest. Months before starting collage he had 3 operations on his fingers and hands to get rid of the tattoos.Whilst teaching he had worn an adapted armband around his wrists to hide the tattoos on his arms.
Peter has two daughters and two ex wives. He lives in a one bed flat in Wingate. He owns numerous properties as he says "I'm a land lord ...I'm a happy chappy. "