1953
1973
2013
December 2021
May 2023 Updated
My name is John Allen. I grew up in Bingley, West Yorkshire, until the summer of 1965. By that time I had completed my first year at Bingley Grammar School. My family then moved to Middlesbrough, where I went to Acklam Hall Grammar School for Boys. In 1968 Acklam Hall Grammar School amalgamated with Kirby Grammar School for Girls. Acklam High School was born as a 14-18 Comprehensive School. In 1969/70 we (i.e. my parents and younger brother) moved to Morecambe. I stayed on at Acklam to finish 6th form, living with Mrs Burnicle at 28 Harrow Rd, Linthorpe during term time.
At the start of my first Games Lesson (i.e. Rugby) at Acklam Hall, Mr Pickersgill had said, in a broad West Yorkshire accent, "He comes from Bingley, so he must be good". After that I was often called 'Bing'. Later I was called 'Skull'. After sixth-form I went to Leeds University, had a good time and completed a degree in Civil Engineering. By the end of my degree I was called Johnnie. After that I did a P.G.C.E. at Bingley College of Education and what followed was a career in teaching.
In one of the schools that I worked, JAL0 was used as a shorthand identifier for me. Given the number of people called John Allen in the world, I decided that the domain name Jalodrome was as good a choice as any.
I live in Lancaster with Michele. Together we have two married daughters and 4 grandchildren.
My stuff in other places:
