Welcome

Pete

Welcome to Peter Hurford’s web site. I’m based in the UK, in the picturesque village of Downton, nestled between the ancient New Forest and the medieval city of Salisbury. Ninety minutes from London, and less than an hour from the south coast (map), I settled here more than 25 years ago, having previously lived in Liverpool, Cardiff, Oxford, New York City and Southampton. So perhaps you know me from one of these places?

I am divorced, with a daughter who has long since fledged.

Biography

I was born and raised in Liverpool, but left aged just eighteen to study at university in Cardiff.

My first job, near Oxford, introduced me to computers, and this altered the course of my life. Several jobs developing and designing software then culminated in living and working in New York City. Upon returning to the UK, I moved to the south coast, where I started my own consultancy business. Finally settling in the nearby New Forest, for many years I commuted to (mostly financial) clients based in central London.

My other passion was cycling, however, and the surrounding countryside afforded many opportunities. In addition, Downton’s proximity to the coast meant easy access to Europe, and I was fortunate enough to cycle in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany. Such was my enthusiasm that, taking a career break from IT, I trained, qualified, then practised as a freelance bicycle mechanic.

This stint ended abruptly in early 2016, when I suffered a stroke. Although affected physically, I was intact mentally, so while my riding days were over I was able to plot a return to IT.

I’m not as energetic as I once was – I’m left disabled with reduced mobility and stamina, and I immediately closed my consultancy in order to prioritise my recovery. After a couple of years I was able to combine IT with voluntary work (for Age UK and the Stroke Association). In my spare time, I maintained a healthy interest in politics, and even discovered a talent for creative writing!

I released a stream of health-management apps from home, and during COVID I created a web site which reported local infection numbers. I started a blog, initially as a way of tracking my recovery but which has morphed into a general outlet for my creativity (sample).

I took a short-lived role as a developer for a small south-coast consultancy, working from home, But I missed my old role and the larger-scale projects, so when I was made redundant it was a blessing.

Naively thinking that my disability benefits would be reinstated, I was forced to begin a year-long fight with the UK government, a fight which I finally won. At the same time, I began turning my attention back to creative writing, and am currently working on my second novel.

Miaow

I am an animal lover. I’ve lived with cats, plus the occasional dog, my whole life, and currently share the place with Reuben, a sleek black cat who arrived here several years ago, already fully-grown, courtesy of my daughter. Now in his senior years, Reuben was once a prolific hunter who single-handedly decimated the local mouse population (shown here taking a break!), but who now prefers the more gentlemanly pursuits of eating and sleeping. We’re very alike, he and I!