Career
As a mature student he qualified as a teacher in 1961, then gained a Bachelor (Honours) degree in English at University College London. This was followed by an Master of Arts in Linguistics from Stockholm University, Sweden, where he taught English language and literature. He subsequently became a producer of educational radio and television programmes for the British Broadcasting Corporation, remaining there for 20 years.
In 1970 he developed a spare time interest in onomatology, the study of proper names.
He also published several reference books about names of various kinds, not only proper names but also, as his interest in toponymy grew, places, followed by other related areas. Their three adult children and families live nearby.
