I suppose I knew I was homosexual from about 12 years old.  That is to say that I was attracted to men rather than women.  The salvation army taught me that gayness was a sin and therefore I tried to live within the rules.  I can say in all honesty that I never had any homosexual experience until I was 28.  In school I never experimented;  I was studying at Nottingham Teacher Training College for three years and never had any gay experience at all.  I remember one end of term dance after which I was to have a lift home to Twickenham when a girl named Brenda tried to kiss me and slip her tongue in my mouth!  The experience repulsed me!  Nevertheless, my Christian faith prevented me from even attempting a homosexual experience.  At 21 years of age I returned to Twickenham having decided not to become a teacher!  At first I found a temporary job in Bentalls at Kingston while I applied to become a civil servant.  I worked in the toy department over the Christmas period on the Western stand - cowboys and guns;  but I couldn't wait to demonstrate touch tapestry when the woman on the nighbouring stand was away at coffee!  After Christmas I worked in linens over the sale period.  In March I started in the Civil Service.  I was assigned to work as a direct entrant executive officer in the Ministry of Health, Alexander Fleming House, Elephant & Castle.  The only time I was ever in London was on a school trip to see the sights.  I can still remember the shock of arriving for my first day at work at Waterloo Station and walking to the Elephant & Castle!  Nevertheless, I worked there for the following 21 years!