Grandfather writes memoirs amid pandemic detailing moving family to Singapore and Thailand

A grandfather has put pen to paper during the pandemic and written his memoirs – detailing how he moved his young family to work abroad in Singapore and Thailand, before later returning to set up home again in Britain.

David Hughes, from Kingswinford, spent lockdown and isolation writing his memoirs, which were edited by wife of 41 years, Mel

Former building society and bank manager David Hughes, 61, from Kingswinford, decided to write his life’s story during the lockdowns.

He said: “I grew up in a council house in Swindon, near to Wolverhampton, went to school in Kinver and then took Business Studies at Stourbridge College.

“I became an inspector of taxes and then a building society manager with The Anglia at Oldbury and resigned just before it was taken over by Nationwide.

“I met my wife, Mel, aged 59, at school and we married in Kinver Church in 1980.

"I have had a strange life and thought it worth detailing as we moved to live in Singapore, from 1995 to 2002, and then Thailand, from 2005 to 2006, until my wife unfortunately became very ill and our medical insurance ran out causing us to return to this country.

“We decided to move abroad with our children because at the time I was concerned about the crime rate in this country and felt things were getting out of control.

"Our daughter Kara was six years old at the time and Brodie was 10 at that time.

"We had very happy times abroad and it was really a sad ending but we decided to come back to Kingswinford to be near our parents.

“Rather than watch daytime television during the pandemic, I decided to spend the isolation writing my memoirs.”

Memoirs of a Grandad ((A Happy Life) in 5 Fits has been self-published. It has gone on sale through Amazon for £8.99 in digital and paperback form.

David’s wife, Mel, helped edit the book and all profits will go to Cancer Research in memory of his father, Brian Hughes, who died, aged 74, eight years ago.

He said: “I hope people will be inspired by the fact you can start with nothing, as I was born in a council house, and through studying can achieve things and attain happiness and peace of mind.”