Well Suited

Not many dyslexic people who leave school at 15 with no qualifications go on to build up a multi-million pound business with VIP clients.

But that's what 59-year old master tailor Geoffrey Golding has managed to do - and he has just celebrated his 40th year in business with a champagne reception at the Sopwell House Hotel in St Albans.

He welcomed 250 guests who included six mayors and council chairmen, local MP Kerry Pollard, senior officers from the armed forces and an old friend of Mr Golding's - Monty Moss of the Moss Bros organisation.

Among the guests included famous fellow dyslexic Nicholas Parsons, best known as chairman of the Just a Minute Radio Four quiz show.

Mr Parsons' joke-filled performance on the night also referred to his own struggles with learning to read and Mr Golding said: "Dyslexia makes you go two ways - either it makes you determined to succeed to confound your critics or you go into your shell."

He started his business at 220 Hatfield Road, St Albans, aged 19 with money he'd saved from chopping wood, three paper rounds and a Saturday job on the market.

He has specialised in military tailoring and provides uniforms for 50 regiments and corps of the army, navy, air force and marines.

His firm was awarded the Royal Warrant for tailoring services to the Royal Family in 2001 - though he will not reveal for which member of the Royal family he works.

The event raised £2,000 on the night to be split between the Hertfordshire Dyslexia Association and the British Dyslexia Institute.

Mr Golding and his wife Theresa have been married for 35 years and have two sons and a young grandson. But sons Kelvin, 33, or Mark, 32, will not be taking over the family business. Mr Golding, who still works 70 hours a week, said: "I educated them too well. Kelvin works in Internet banking and Mark is a City trader."

Courtesy of The Herts Advertiser (June 2003)