It's now just 4 years since I sold my oil and gas industry based consultancy business and retired(www.jmsconsultants.co.uk) .

How do I spend my time - apart from 'Hunting Truffles' in France?

Well, missing the 'cut and thrust' of business, I've done the next best thing and joined the Rotary Club of Knaresborough. They're a lively bunch and they've made me very welcome and what's more, they've made me Chairman of one of the committees, so that keeps me busy

During the 'fair weather' months I'm a keen gardener but when it turns nasty outside, I retire to my holography laboratory and make holograms - and they are FOR SALE

Push the buttons at the bottom of this page to learn more

Let's now put in a few family photos. Here are a few pictures of Liz, my wife and myself together with pictures of our son and daughter, together with their respective families.

And now to a bit of the History of the Sonley Family and I will start with my known history

I am a true East Riding Yorkshireman by birth whose roots have been traced back several generations to Easingwold in North Yorkshire where Thomas Sonley (born 1742) married Elizabeth Spence (born 1743) at Stillington parish church in 1767. From their progeny was born my Great Grandfather, Richard Spence Sonley 3rd (1852 - 1939). Richard's occupation, according to Kelly's Directory of 1885 was a 'Smack' owner who became well known in his heyday all along the North Sea fishing ports as ' England Dick ' ......read more on the 'family history' page