Mel's Web Pages .................................................

Graham Lovell
Email Address: Available - on approval - from Mel Ashton
Personal & Present Details - worth reading again before moving to 'latest' information & pictures (Mel Ashton)
	My name is Graham Lovell At present I work in silicon valley in the heart of northern California with my lovely wife of 25 years, Suzie. We have been fortunate over the years to have good health and two boys born in 1980 and 83. We moved away from Wakefield in 1982, having secured a job in the rapidly growing computer industry. I was fortunate to have been tutored / mentored by many at Isherwoods, then British Relay. My favorite Uncle is George Crossland, though of course we all knew him as "Harry", who has been a role model for me over the years. During the early days I was trained in the art of removal and replacement of 'loptx' by "Dad", George "cow-pie" Eyre (who also introduced me to the music of the "Eagles"), My manager Ian Lindley who also taught me at Wakefield Tech in the evenings and who taught me about taking time out to enjoy life too. as a querk of fate, I was also tutored by Mel Ashton on 2 separate occasions, once at Kitson College while an apprentice, and once with the OU at York University summer school.
Isherwood's Period
	From Dec 1973 to summer 1977 After which I, of course, knew everything, being still a teenager.
Further Information
	During the 1970's the consumer electronics industry seemed to me at the time, to be accelerating in it's innovation. We moved rapidly from b+w to colour TVs, from thermionic valves to solid state, from analogue to digital, from annoying visible flyback lines at the top of the screen to teletext, from part-time TV scheduling to all-day programming, and finally to video recording for the general public (vcr). This impacted the engineers at Isherwoods / Relay tremendously and many left the company as it failed to meet the changing business environment and heavy competition from Granada TV Rental and VisionHire.
Other Interests
	My interests are mainly focused around my wife and family, friends we have made, and the Napa Valley wine region. We love vacationing in Mexico and Hawaii when our finances permit it. I never have lost the technology bug and frequently invest in the latest gadget, like projection tv, X10 home automation, etc.
Pictures
	See Graham's Pictures
My Tribute to George Eyre
	A tribute to George Eyre from an old colleague and friend. In the hope that this short note might trigger some fond memories and not cause offence, I wish to leave the following tribute to the late George Eyre. Although it seems like last year, it was in fact 1974. I first met George when he was working on the benches in the George Street service department. I was 16 at the time and looking to a new career in electronics. Trying hard to learn as fast as I could, I was seeking the more interesting work to do. George helped me navigate the different types of TVs and their common faults. I used to joke with him about how old he was, when in fact I guess he was really quite young at the time. Being an apprentice meant doing the fetch and carry chores and one I was introduced to early was the walk up the hill to Hoffman's on Westgate. Most days I'd set off around 11-00 to go and buy a celebrated "meat and mashed potato pie", a rather large round specimen that had the power to instantly quiet any hunger pains. George called this "cow-pie", after the Beano comic hero, Desperate Dan. At least once per week George would double up on his order to include me in his dining plans. I developed a taste for cow-pie that lives on even today when ever I see a 10-inch diameter meat pie. George did more than improve my culinary experiences, he also contributed to my appreciation of music. Of course a key skill for any "improver" was to learn to drive a car. Having mastered the skill early (not), it was my duty to ensure as many hours per day as possible were clocked up behind the wheel. After George returned to field service, my lunchtimes were spent driving his car for many miles around the countryside to ensure sufficient mileage was clocked up to justify the petrol coupons that was assigned. Why he would trust a 17 year old with his new blue Ford Escort car was a mystery to me. In the cassette player was always the latest Eagles album, which was infinitely preferable to Radio One. The prolific exposure to the Eagles has left me with found memories of these days with George every time I hear their music or see their album. George helped me in many ways and holds a special place in my heart for all he did for me. I was saddened to hear of his passing and hope that he will be remembered for his laughter and sense of humour. Graham Lovell 10/28/02 - 28/10/02 in UK speak ! (Mel)