Dennis Nicholls, Architectural Draughtsman

Dennis was born in a village near Canterbury, son of a local house builder. His first job was as Junior Tracer and Clerk at the local Rural District Council; then he took three years articles with an architect in Canterbury, which was followed by his National Service (until 1954) in the RAF as an Architectural Draughtsman, when he was seconded to work in London at the Air Ministry in Bush House, including some secret work. He then worked for Colt Timber Houses (in Kent) as Chief Draughtsman in their drawing offices for ten years, working on timber framed houses with seeded shingle – a standardised system. From 1964-1966 he joined Taylor Woodrow’s prefabricated buildings division. After marriage, he and his wife lived in Godalming, but the job there was short-lived, so Ralph took up a post with Terrapin in Bletchley.