I originate from Chelmsford the county town of Essex (and still support Essex at cricket and Tottenham Hotspur at football), and came to Leeds first as an undergraduate where I studied Botany under Irene Manton FRS. My PhD was taken at McMaster University, on Neurospora genetics, under the supervision of Steve Threlkeld. The quest for science and sun then took me to Stanford University for a post-doc position with David Perkins. This was followed by faculty positions at UCLA, then London University (Birkbeck College), and eventually back to Leeds University.
Research publications have been mainly on Neurospora molecular genetics, plus the fourth edition of "Fungal Genetics" with John Fincham FRS, and "A Primer of Genetics" with David Cove and Simon Baumberg . Other publications have been on genetics education.
A publication list since 1993 is available here.
A full publication list since 1963 is available here.
Current research interests are on another page.
Apart from an active interest in politics, my main hobby is early music. I re-established the Leeds Waits, the official town musicians (1530- 1834) in 1983, subsequently receiving official recognition by Leeds City Council. Copies of the Waits badges of 1627, from the City Silver Collection, illustrated here, are worn when performing.
When not on official duties for the Borough (now City of course), the Waits perform at stately homes around the region, such as Temple Newsam, Kirkstall Abbey, Bolsover Castle, Nunnington Hall, Fountains Abbey, Hoghton Tower, Ordsall Hall, York Castle, Astley Hall etc., for organisations such as English Heritage and The National Trust. The Waits have also broadcast on radio and television. They also have 14 years experience of playing for historical dance groups including Capriol Historical Dance Group of Oldham and White Rose Early Dance Group of Huddersfield.
This illustration shows the Leeds Waits in their blue and gold livery, with me third from the left, on a 353rd anniversary performance of their Christmas Eve entertainment for Sir Arthur Ingram and his household at Temple Newsam, Leeds, in 1993.
In March 1996 the Waits performed at the Royal Opening of the new Royal Armouries Museum, en event broadcast live on BBC Radio.
A spin-off from the Waits is Stanhoppe's Musick, a versatile duo performing on assorted wind instruments, hurdy-gurdy, cittern and harp. The have broadcast, including "The Music Machine" on BBC Radio 3, and played at a range of authentic venues and events. They can be seen during the summer on Sealed Knot authentic campsites.
My musical publications have included "A Fragmentary History of the Leeds Waits" (the history of the Leeds Waits from 1531 to 1835) and "The Regimental Fife Book of Sir Gilbert Hoghton's Companie of Foot" (a collection of fife tunes suitable for seventeenth century military re-enactors, dedicated to the members of the author's own regiment of The Sealed Knot). In preparation is a collection of John Playford's English country dances, with the music arranged for Cornish bagpipes.
Watch here for details of performances by The Leeds Waits and Stanhoppe's Musick, including Christmas 1998 performances at Clarke Hall in Wakefield, Temple Newsam in Leeds and Nunnington Hall in Helmsley.
This page is maintained by A Radford, tel +44 113 233 3086
Last updated 20 April 2001.