Profile of David Skyrme, the creator of this website.
About Me
I am a retired management consultant living with my wife Jane in the village of Highclere, Hampshire, England. I have always been interested in local history and in later life my own family history, since we have such an unusual surname. I launched this website in 1996. After winding down my paid career in 2010, I restarted my family research in earnest and started researching historic records with the name Skyrme and then the rarer Yardy. With so much more online (compared to when I started) I do the majority of my research using one of my laptops from the comfort of the sofa in our lounge 2-3 nights a week.
Current residence: Highclere, Hampshire (see map) - now well known through Highclere Castle being the filming location for the period drama Downton Abbey. It is 5 miles south of Newbury. We have lived at Highclere since 1998 and before that we lived in Wash Common, Newbury for 20 years.
Earlier residences: When single - Norwich, Hornchurch (Essex), Bourton-on-the-Water (Gloucestershire), Oxford. After marrying - Arnos Grove (North London), Withington (Manchester), Bramhall and Knutsford (Cheshire), Marlborough (Massachussetts, USA), then Newbury and Highclere.
Family: Wife Jane, three grown up and married children living in Reading (Berkshire), Harpenden (Hertfordshire) and Everton (near Lymington, New Forest). Six grandchildren.
Career: I started life as a computer systems analyst and programmer, then worked for Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) for 22 years in many roles - sales, product management, marketing, new initiatives. After being made redundant in 1993 I set up my own management consultancy, specialising in knowledge management - see my business website and business profile.
Volunteering: Since retirement I do regularly voluntary work for several organisations: a trustee, speaking, advising and fundraising for Careers Springboard West Berkshire (helping out-of-work managers and professionals get a new job). I also help The Highclere Society (our village community society) on planning matters, and updating its website. For 10 years I was webmaster for CPRE Hampshire (a countryside charity)
Other interests: Environment and sustinability (see www.sustainabilityknowledge.com), photography, astronomy, rambling/hiking, chess, cycling and swimming.