JEWELS OF AUTHENTICITY

Author's Biography

Author's Biography

My name is Jules Clare. I use the pseudonym of The Jewelster. This derives from an episode of The Max and Paddy comedy series. In one particular scene Max holds a school friends union. One of his friends turns up and Max shouts "Hey, there's The Robster". Bingo, my name was conceived.

I was born in Carmarthen in Wales in 1963 on the day that the U.S. President J.F. Kennedy was buried. I lived on a small holding for seven years. My Mother and Father looked after sheep and bred pedigree dogs; namely Toy Poodles, Cocker Spaniels and Sealyham Terriers.

My mum hankered for her Birmingham roots, so as a family we moved there in 1970. I went to Primary School opposite Aston Villa's Football ground. I went onto support The Club, and for two years also walked around the pitch on match days selling refreshments.

I have lived at many places in The United Kingdom. In County Durham, England I have lived in Sedgefield, Fishburn, Crook, Helmington Row, East Hedleyhope and Willington. I have also lived in Tarbert and Lochgilphead in Argyll in Western Scotland.

At secondary level I went to King Edward VI Grammar School for Boys in Aston. Interestingly I didn't study English Language to an advanced degree at school. In fact I am a poet and I never have.

I did very average at A level and got a place at Newcastle Polytechnic studying a Science degree (!) in Environmental Studies. This institution is now known as The University of Northumbria. The only thing it did do was encourage me to return to the North East later in life.

I received a lower Second Class degree. I then returned to Birmingham. It was the time of the recession years fuelled by Margaret Thatcher. I was out of work for two years, getting some work experience through a few temporary jobs. I eventually got a six month contract with West Midlands Regional Health Authority.

I was then able to gain a permanent position working in computing and administration for South West Durham Health Authority. During my nine years there I worked at Bishop Auckland General Hospital, Darlington Memorial Hospital, and Newton Aycliffe and Durham.

I was asked to become a Trade Union representative whilst working there. Then management turned around and said that I wasn't doing my other job well. They threatened to discipline me. They told me at 4 pm on a Friday afternoon that I would have a disciplinary meeting at 9.30 am on the Monday morning.

I call that bad management. I had a mortgage and a one year old son at the time. I worried that I would lose my job. I was stewed up for the whole weekend. I opted for relaxation on the Sunday evening. I went to the local Public House and drank four bottles of Special Brew in a short time. This turned out to be a bad move. That stuff is lethal.

Anyway I was ill and sick all night. At 6.50 a.m. on Monday 1st October 1995 I was in the bathroom and my head went pop. I knew there was something wrong but I didn't know what. A severe indescribable headache ensued. And of course I had to drive 15 miles to attend a disciplinary interview. I could have killed someone that day. They gave me a final written warning.

Next day I went to my General Practitioner. His response was that it was just a head ache. Go home and take two aspirin and you'll be as right as rain in the morning. So I went home. In the next twelve days I had an on and off 'hitting my head against the wall' headache. I had three fits in which I lost my balance and fell over. I was visiting my parents and they called an ambulance out. This is where I get emotional. The paramedic knew what was wrong straight away. I had suffered a subarachnoid brain haemorrhage. He basically saved my life.

I was blue-lighted up to the fantastic Newcastle General Hospital. I was put in a coma to reduce potential brain swelling and remained in the coma for five days. I was operated on and transferred to The Intensive Therapy Unit. Apparently a type of vacuum cleaner was used to remove the coagulated blood. I am proud of the visible six inch scar on my forehead.