John Burgess

Life, Luck and Liaisons John Burgess

The fifties in New Zealand were glory days. It was a carefree time for children, whose parents were finally happy that the war was over. Everyone worked together to rebuild their lives and looked to the future. I helped my father when I could, spraying the orchards, harvesting, making hay and I attended a country school and mixed with local Maori families. Aged eleven I went to Boarding School in Auckland. It was a dramatic change and, along with my regular studies, I learnt to be independent and to think for myself. Upon leaving school, my parents had tertiary education in mind for me; I had in mind joining the workforce. My parents conceded and I left school with the intention to go farming. I worked on differing types of farms in New Zealand, followed by a stint in Australia, working on broadacre farming techniques. When I was sufficiently qualified, I began work with my father on the family farm in the Waikato region. After a period on the farm, I found that I was unable to work amicably with my father and I took my leave. For two years I crewed on two different yachts in the Pacific and Indonesian waters. This was a period of adventure and personal development which has provided many of the anecdotes I have related here. When I returned to the family farm, it was obvious that my father and I still could not work together. I left the farm for good and headed to the city to seek whatever came my way. I worked at several casual jobs until I could afford to travel and I flew to London with the promise of a job there. A new beginning, another book.