Vincent's Description of his family...

"My wife Maria is a very talented lady, but in addition to all her talents, she has a hobby so humorous that she has appeared on many leading TV programmes.  She has an obsession with Polynesian dancing, and many senior citizens have found themselves wearing grass skirts and dancing the hukilau. Only recently she was featured on TV in the BBC 2 documentary ‘Country Cops’, when she augmented her usual tribe with a local and sporting policeman. He dressed up in an authentic Fijiin policemen’s skirt and was a huge success. All the skirts are authentic, and I can vouch for this, as I brought them back from Hawaii!

Vincent Paul is a skilled surveyor and a great handyman. He is an excellent artist and no mean pianist. When he was three he appeared on BBC TV’s ‘That’s Life’, and also on ‘Blue Peter’ and several other notable Television programmes. At this early age he could memorise pictures of at least twenty composers and recognize much of their music. On Blue Peter, he went from one presenter to another and each of them had a full size grand piano. He decided to retire from TV at the age of five! Sometimes we appear together in public playing difficult piano duets.

Patrick also appeared on ‘That’s Life’ ten years later than Vincent as a boy opera singer. He sang in Italian, and this included a duet in full operatic costume with Moira Anderson. Like Vincent, he appeared on several national TV programmes, and from the age of seven until his voice broke, he charmed audiences and viewers with his deep alto voice. Presenter Esther Rantzen gave him and us a seat in a box at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Nowadays he uses this voice in his profession as a Radio Presenter. Since the age of 18 he has been in great demand, and has worked for Yorkshire Coast Radio, Real Radio in Cardiff, Home Radio (Huddersfield) breakfast show, Minster Radio and TFM in the North East. He is also a  talented classical pianist.

Bernadette is a gifted florist. She is also an excellent artist, and this skill she can combine with her floral arrangements, many of which are modern. She has presented demonstrations combined with musical items, all of which have the title of flowers. She has a tremendous knowledge of birds and all wildlife, and can identify most species at first glance. Two or three years ago she accompanied me on a 1.000 mile cruise down the River Amazon, and last October lectured and demonstrated floristry on the P&O Luxury Liner, Aurora. Some modest photos of her work are seen below, and one of them is on a musical theme. This was displayed at an exhibition in Sewerby Hall, Bridlington. The floral arrangement in the basket was created for Russell Grant, who described it as ‘outrageously fabulous’.

Dominic is studying law at University and has a promising legal career ahead of him. He is interested in sports, and has previously the Great North Run."

Vincent Billington 2006