Vernon Steel was born in the Midlands, the son of a grocer; at thirteen he
went to a public school where he was particularly strong in maths and
physics. When he obtained a place at Cambridge University to study
Natural Sciences all his friends said he would one day become a professor;
his father said, "You won't be a businessman, that's for sure."
At university he surprised most people who knew him by spending all his time either at the theatre - as an actor in student productions and as a paying customer - or in the offices of the Green Party. "Darling, are you sure you are doing enough work?" his mother would occasionally ask. Shouldn't he perhaps go to lectures more often? No, he replied, he wanted to use his time at the 'best university in the world' his way.
So there you go - good old Vernon Steel.
For news on Vernon's more recent accomplishments, click
here.
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