Ken Wilkinson has written his life story available from Amazon. He put pen to paper to present his family with a record of his fascinating life and career.
Ken was born of Durham parents in Nottinghamshire. His father was a miner and had to move to Mansfield as there was no work for him in the Durham coalfield. However they grew home-sick and returned to live in Tindale Crescent later moving to a new house in Chilton.
Ken’s Uncle Jim Wilkinson and his family lived in Newton Aycliffe and was a well known heavyweight boxer. His Father was drafted into the Royal Ordnance Police in Newton Aycliffe for the whole of the Second World War.
Ken was trained in a Solicitors, and then as an Insurance Agent. His first managerial appointment was at Bishop Auckland, and then Stockton on Tees. He has enjoyed a very successful career in law, insurance and acting, taking him all over the country.
“Wherever I went, I was proud of being a northern lad from Durham, My first wife Pearl and I always dreamed of returning to our roots when I retired from the City of London, having fulfilled my dream of becoming the Chairman of the Liverpool Victoria, but her health would not allow it, and sadly she died in 2003.
“I was lucky to meet my second wife, Wendy, some time later and although she was born in Hampshire, she always wanted to live in the beautiful north. This suited us both very well and we picked Woodham as our new home as it is a very pleasant modern open area and well situated for easy travelling. It goes without saying the people in this part of the world are extremely friendly.”
Ken’s hobbies include photography, caravanning, walking and writing. He was the Public Relations Officer for the Scout movement in Corringham and was given a page a week to write on scout matters in the Thurrock weekly Gazette.
Football has always been a great interest and in Aberdeen he formed a football league for under 12’s which is still in existence today. In Surrey he saved a junior football club from going under. When he became a member of the Board of the Liverpool Victoria he was President of the LV Club and later President of the Insurance and Finance Football League. When he left Aberdeen Ken was proud to read an article that bore the headline “Aberdeen Loses a Friend”.
