Born 1943 in Prestbury, UK. He graduated in Russian and French from the University of Birmingham (1965) and went on to study at the Arts Faculty of Charles University Prague (1966-69) and at the School of Oriental and African Studies London (1976). At London University’s School of Slavonic and East European Studies (later merged with University College London), he taught Czech and Slovak languages for almost four decades, retiring in 2011. He has worked as a translator, interpreter and editor, published a number of books, including one of the standard textbooks of Czech, and co-authored a number of publications in the fields of lexicography and linguistics. In the past he also cooperated with Czech Centre London, and with London’s Royal Court Theatre at its international workshops.