CHM's first supervisor: Mr Simon Mercer

Crickley Hill Man was a sixteen year old choirboy with an engaging mop of golden curls when he was placed under the benevolent eye of Simon Mercer, one of the London Institute of Archaeology contingent at Crickley.  Mr Mercer, whose photograph appears above, courtesy of Mr John Boden, taught me how to use a trowel, what to do with a catbasher, what to do with a Killaspray, and advised me on matters of the heart. He also showed me the way to the Air Balloon and once there allowed me to buy him a pint of GL cider.  He also introduced me to a man called Southwood and another man called Robert Roberts.  All innocence lost, my hair began to fall out almost immediately and I never sang "Oh for the wings of a dove" again.  What I was taught to sing instead cannot be published on a family blog ...