In the feature carried a week ago on the impromptu 80th birthday celebration at the Black Horse Tavern in St. David's for Mrs. Helen Williams, of Mount Hill, Pembroke, we noted that among those present was Paul Barton who, we stated, "was on his first visit to Bermuda".

The fact of the matter is that Paul, who now makes his home in Victoria, British Columbia, actually grew up in Bermuda and has many lifelong friends on the island. He attended Saltus Grammar School for two years and spent a further two years studying in the UK. Seeking broader horizons, Paul explained how he joined the Royal Navy as an officer when, among many other jobs, he trained the private secretaries to Prince Charles and Princess Diana. "I was in the Royal Navy for 21 years, during which time I met my (future) wife, Carol, in Bermuda. A Canadian, she was visiting her parents who had retired to Bermuda. For the last 17 years we have lived in Victoria, British Columbia, and have recently become 'empty nesters' when our two sons moved out and bought their own house."

Nowadays, Paul is a consultant primarily to US government entities and businesses, helping them improve their workflow and computer systems mainly using Microsoft Share Point.

"Since one of my clients is in New York it was very convenient to drop in and see my 91-year-old mother, Renee. For the past few years we have been mostly meeting up at some foreign port to go on a cruise, as another of my roles in life is working with Princess Cruises as a computer trainer and lecturer. Last November/December we circumnavigated South America and in April went from Fort Lauderdale, Florida through the Panama Canal to Vancouver."

No stranger to Bermuda, Paul is seen with his 91-year-old mother Mrs. Renee Barton, third from the right with her friends Mrs. Lynette Titterton, who soon will be celebrating her 90th birthday; and partially hidden on the far left, Mrs. Winifred Fairs, 89. Central personality at the Black Horse Inn impromptu party was Mrs. Helen Williams, 80 (in hat) and friend Mrs. Mary Hayward.