Born - Cleethorpes, Lincs on 29.04.1934
Siblings Michael, Patricia, Brian, Alan & Philip
Married to Valerie (nee Douglas )
Children Nicole, John, Alison, Jacqui, & Rob
Grandchildren Hal, Lucy, Thomas, Anna, William, Tian, & Daniel
Address Just North of Bury on the border with Ramsbottom (Lancs)
Education Won scholarship at 11 to Corby Hall School in Sunderland (North East)
School Certificate (It was that long ago) at age 15, then moved to Manchester .
2 terms at St Bedes College, Manchester (Johnnie Carey was the football coach)
Articled (i.e. apprenticed) at age 16 to Manchester accountants with a wage of £1.00 per week.
Qualified as a chartered accountant 5 years later
National Service December 1955 joined the Royal Navy as an ordinary seaman at Victoria Barracks, Portsmouth .

Should have received basic training on a converted aircraft carrier but someone started a war over the Suez Canal , and the carrier was commandeered.

Completed basic training at Portsmouth , then officer training at Plymouth (once scored 6 goals for Plymouth Barracks team against someone - probably the Blind Institute).

Was commisioned as "temporary acting sub-lieutenant RNVR" - one wavy ring. Joined HMS Dilston - a "ton" class inshore minesweeper in Malta where I was Navigation Officer. We spent all our time in the Med. (until we finally sailed her home to Pompey) with frequent trips to Cyprus where we were fighting the Greeks (i.e. EOKA)

Based in Famagusta , our job was to search fishing boats for gun-running during the night hours, and the RAF took over in daylight when my main job was to find a suitable cove to anchor, and then all hands over the side - but we had a man with a stengun on the beach. After our final trip the captain announced we had all won a medal - general service, Cyprus , and I proudly wore the ribbon on my dress uniform for a long time thereafter. Until about 2 years later I received a letter from the Admiralty - Dear Sir, We regret to inform you..No medal because we were 5 days short of the necessary days served.

Work Had a spell with ICI at Blakeley Dyestuff Works, but returned to general practice when offered a partnership with my original firm of chartered accountants. Eventually became managing partner and then senior partner before retiring in 1996.

My accountancy connections produced various directorships along the way, the longest running being Daniel Thwaites plc (a brewery in Blackburn ) where I was chairman until 2000.

Another interesting directorship is with Byrom plc as their business is the logistics of major sporting events such as the soccer world cup and golf's Ryder Cup.

EBU After playing the game for the best part of 50 years I resolved to put something back into bridge, and I was elected to the board in 1996, became vice-chair in 1999, and chairman in 2002. My special area of interest is to bring the average player into much more direct contact with the officials who run the EBU by improving the service of the Union to the members.

Other Interests I play golf whenever I can in the Summer months, and I used to ski up to 4 times a year in the Winter - now down to about 1 week per season. We enjoy eating out (and drinking) frequently, opera and classical music, and a regular favourite is a friendly bridge evening for 8 people where we play an individual but only after consuming a very good meal.

Crazy Ambitions I would like to learn to fly a helicopter - watch England win another world cup (soccer that is) - and/or see England win a Bermuda Bowl.

9 Things to know about Dennis:

1.There is no one I would like to be stranded on a desert island with, because we would so quickly become bored with each other.

2.If I could come back as an animal I would choose a cat as the most independent.

3.If not an EBU director then an ideal directorship might be FIFA

4.A dream holiday would be to visit all of the countries to which I have not so far been - including South Africa , New Zealand , Brazil , Argentine etc.

5.Last book read was "Dissolution" by C.J.Sansom, a 16 th century detective story.

6.Car CD's are all classical music - favorite is Beethoven.

7.Famous people to a dinner party - let's have Peter Alliss, Shakespeare, Boris Schapiro and Alexander the great.

8.An ideal night out is a great meal with friends with a spot of bridge thrown in.

9.An odd fact - as a member of The Company of Brewers and a freeman of London I understand that I am entitled to drive a flock of sheep over London Bridge.