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About Me: John Wakefield
Retired Geologist and Glass Artist Traveling the US in a Camper Called Diogenes
Technically, I am a pre-boomer. I exploded onto the planet in England just two weeks before the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. My earliest memories are defined by the gray austerity of post-war Britain, where I played in city streets still pockmarked with bomb craters.
In that world, a single academic test decided your future. My first major achievement was passing the crucial examination (known as the ‘11+’) for entrance to the grammar school. There, I was immersed in a broad, classical syllabus — Latin, French, German, English Literature, and the sciences. This exceptional school gave me a grounding in art and music as well as memorable trips to West End theatre shows in London.
While my body was in a classroom in England, my mind was usually hovering over an atlas, dreaming of exotic locales like Timbuktu and Constantinople.
From the “Muck” to the Kalahari
My childhood interest in scouting led me into caves and up mountains, eventually solidifying into a passion for geology. I headed north to study at the University of Leeds. This was a dramatic change from my home in the soft underbelly of the London suburbs. In those days, the saying…
