I am currently a part-time tutor in Information Technology (IT) (otherwise known as computers). For this reason a number of pages have teaching content.
Included in my interests and therefore at least some pages, is an attempt to cover the genealogy (family history) of my family, and the genealogy of the HIGSON name in general, at least in south Lancashire.
Probably my greatest passion is history, which has crystallised into local history and genealogy, having spent the last 40 or so years researching my family tree.
Following on from this, I developed an interest in creating my own web page (to, what else, create my own genealogy web page on the WWW). This of course, meant my learning HTML coding & web page design.
Being an engineer by trade (before taking EVR), I also have a interest in robotics. I must confess that I haven't really got very practical with this, but, as an extension of this I have developed an interest in home automation (X10 etc.), this being a practical way of utilising some of the subjects that arise from robotics.
Maps have always fascinated me; here are a few links to map web sites where you can either search for a place (UK or World) using it's name, OR, search for a place (in the UK) using it's Post Code. In either case you will be presented with a map of the area. Any URLs I find for historic maps will also be listed here.
For a number of years now (20?), I have been a motor caravan owner and have enjoyed both the impromptu holidays this makes possible, as well as the planned holidays taken both in Britain and Europe with my family. Initially we started off with a little (and I do mean LITTLE) Fiat Amigo. We then moved on to a Toyota based Rio Grande fitted with a Super-Spacemaker roof (not the current Rio Grande, now sadly the company that made this model has gone out of business - their spacemaker & super-spacemaker folding roofs had to be seen to be believed - a cathedral roof was tiny in comparison). Our last vehicle was a Renault based 'Monte Carlo', again with a super-spacemaker roof. Our current vehicle is again a Renault based folding roof job, this time an Auto Sleeper. Recently (2011) a change in personal circumstances has meant I have reverted to being a car owner again after all this time. Sad but true.
Being a bit of a dreamer(!), I have followed space exploration for many years (I am old enough to have watched the first public TV transmission across the Atlantic via Telstar, and the first manned landing on the moon by Neil Armstrong; both live - WOW!).
Meanwhile, while I'm doing nothing
Another subject that has caught my eye which looks like fun is that of 'animatronics' & Special Effects (SFX). I doubt if I will ever have any time to play(!) with this, nor have I had time to tidy up these links, but someday.......