Born in the county of Essex, England, the greater part of my working life was spent as a firefighter for Essex County Fire & Rescue Service. I joined the service in January 1963 with the then Southend on Sea County Borough Fire Brigade where I remained until local government reorganisation in the early years of the 1970s. When I retired I had the rank of Station Officer.
On leaving school I was employed as a shoemaker for the Bata Shoe Company and, since retirement, have kept myself busy working as an Independent Advisor for Social Services. I also sit on Admission and Exclusion Appeals Panels for education authorities.
I took up writing in the late 1980s and enjoyed a little success in having some children's stories published. I now write mainly for fun - basically because I've failed to find anyone to publish the short stories I write (I know they're not to everyone's liking) - and have no deadlines to meet. You might like to view my blog.
My hobbies include ornithology/birdwatching - on this site you'll find the results of the many bird surveys I carried out during the 1990s as well as my life list. In my spare time I edit and publish a newsletter for the former members of Southend on Sea County Borough Fire Brigade.
I am married to Pamela and have two sons, one of whom is the founder of the Stargazers' Lounge website, and a grandson. We continue to live in Essex.
J.E.Emberson
