Charlotte England introduced her husband Peter, describing him as a “well-connected, true Melburnian”.  He is a family person, resolute and tolerant, who has done many things in his life. 

Under the amazing title, “Information Technology and Everything In-between”, Peter England comprehensively covered his early life, his family, and his career.

The early years

Peter was born on the 30 October 1952 in St Andrews Hospital Melbourne to Bob and Joan England. His father was an  entrepreneur who introduced Prestressed Concrete to Australia.

He described his good fortune to attend Scotch College Melbourne, and how he spent a lot of time at the family beach house at Sorrento with his sister Robin and brother David. They loved water sports. 

The informative years

He moved to Sydney in the early 80’s, and discovered a lot about himself. “You have to make it work”, he said. “ nobody else but you”.

While working in Sydney met Charlotte Wren: together they enjoyed International Travel, and discovered a real liking for big boat sailing. In 2011 they fulfilled their dream of a boat on Pittwater, North of Sydney

Family

Peter described their first home in Fairfield Avenue Camberwell as “a renovators delight”, and spent a lot of time (23 years) renovating it. 

They have two boys - William and Alastair, and three grandchildren.

Interests

Peter loves spending time at their home at Moonah on the Mornington Peninsula. He is a member of the Old Scotch Collegians Association, MCC, MCC Bowls, OSBC and KLTC, the Probus Club of Melbourne and is a Family Friend of Rotary Hawthorne.

Career History

Peter described his complex work history, in employed roles, in his family business, and his own business. This extended from home insulation and business handyman to sales, product management, human resources, contract negotiation and management, and information technology. Working with companies such as Dart Computer Services, Telex Decal and Price Waterhouse Urwick, he discovered how businesses work. He then spent more years with John Sands Print Media Group, simultaneously running on his own as Business learning Exchange and Business Handyman. He is now retired, commenting that many of his customers had retired. 

Q&A

Questions from the audience elicited that he was not a good student at school, but he learned what was needed to be successful. Asked how he could run so many things at once, he said that he just missed out on sleeping. 

Finally

Charlotte thanked Peter for his dissertation, and described how the club would make a donation to Australian Rotary Health in his name. 

As always, members enjoyed hearing details of their colleagues’ family and work.