Geoff Lenthall

Geoff Lenthall has written his fully illustrated book “AIMING HIGH”, which is the story of his life from early beginnings in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire to his retirement at 62 years of age. He was educated at Scunthorpe Grammar School and left to join the Westminster Bank until 1944, when he volunteered for aircrew duties in the RAF. After misemployment in Pay Accounts and Motor Transport he finally reached Radio School at Madley in Herefordshire. Here he gained his three stripes and qualified as a Radio Operator, flying in Ansons and Wellington bombers. After four years service he was demobbed and joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve for five years, flying at weekends plus two weeks each year at an RAF station. He reluctantly returned to the bank, moving to Grimsby, Loughborough and finally Leicester, when he resigned and went into the Fishing Industry for two years as Sales Director. After a while he told the Managing Director that due to resentment between existing staff and himself as an ex-white collar worker, he resigned and found himself out of work at 40 years of age. An advertisement in the local paper led him to an interview for the position of Advertisement Manager of Lincolnshire Life, a county magazine, something totally different. He got the job which also included the sideline of Motoring Correspondent. This was unexpected and his first road test was an Alfa Romeo in Lincoln. This led to invitations to an annual Press Open Day, driving anything from a Mini to a Rolls Royce. It was an interesting life with many perks, meeting various TV celebrities and trips abroad. His boss also owned several magazines in other counties and he was offered the job of Regional Manager of all the magazines based in Cheltenham but he had to decline as the increase in salary was not enough to buy a house there as they were far more expensive than those in Lincolnshire. During this period he was top salesman in the group and the prize was a free weeks Mediterranean cruise for two. He paid extra and took his two daughters and his wife. One of the highlights was being invited on board the American aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy, which was moored in Naples harbour.

As he was not earning very much he decided to offer to buy the magazine from the owner, with private loans and a talk with his friendly Bank Manager. His wife looked after the subscriptions, his father-in-law did the accounts and he employed ladies in Lincolnshire to sell advertising. As they also sold calendars, his two daughters helped out leading up to Christmas.

He owned the magazine for seven years and eventually sold it to the Lincolnshire Standard Group, retiring at the age of sixty two. By then his daughters had married and with his wife he travelled the world, visiting Australia, Singapore, Thailand , Abu Dhabi, Moscow and many European countries. He had a time-share in Spain and bought a share ownership house in Florida with fifteen couples, staying for a month each year. Sadly his wife Joannie died in 2007 and he now lives on his own as a 91 year old with friendly neighbours each side and both his daughters living not far away.

Other items of interest:

Meeting the late Lord Olivier at his Brighton home (Lady Olivier is his cousin)

A 1500 mile hitch-hike in Europe with a night in a Paris jail

Test driving with Noel Edmonds in Yorkshire

Meeting Meg and Benny from “Crossroads”

Flight in Concorde from Heathrow to Lincolnshire

Caribbean cruise and two days confined to cabin through illness

Awarded voucher for £750 towards another cruise because of above illness

Invite to filming of Memphis Belle the American B17 bomber

Singing with Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey at Cardiff Arms Park (8000 male voices)

Buying car registration VEE 1 and selling for £10,000

Having lunch with the Burgermeister of Bremerhaven when testing the Austin Maxi

The Mardi Gras in New Orleans

And much more…………