Page 169 - WHO'S WHO OF DUDLEY ROTARY

Limited from an industrial unit at Halesfield, Telford. He was born in West Bromwich, lived for
a time in Tipton, and now lives in the Priorslee district of Telford.

563 Julian (‘Jules’) Arthur WALKER (1967- ) (Inducted 22.3.2004; left 30.6.2008 on moving to Kent.)
Landscaping. He was a sole-craftsman, trading as Jewels Ponds & Gardens
which he started in 2003, specialising in the design, construction and
maintenance of fish ponds, particularly for koi carp. He was a keen keeper
of koi himself and already had several years’ experience of building ponds
for himself, family and friends. He met his prospective new wife in 2006,
daughter of a Scots banker who at the time was Chief Executive of the
National Australia Bank. This led to Julian spending progressively more
time away from Dudley, including time in Australia during which he
successfully completed the Melbourne Marathon in October 2006. He
wound down the ponds business in 2007 and closed it completely in 2008 to concentrate on a
new life and equestrian venture in Kent. He remarried in September 2007 and with his new wife
and father-in-law set up Southern Cross Stud, at Meopham on the North Downs, specialising in
producing world class dressage horses. Within a few years they had over 70 animals in training
but were forced to reduce the stock when Julian was diagnosed with mouth cancer in July 2013.
He underwent 3 months of intensive radio- and chemotherapy from which he has been slowly
recovering. With that experience he has been Chairman of the Kent Cancer Action Group from
2018.
Julian was born and raised in Dudley. On leaving school he joined the Royal Marines and
served with 40 Commando for 18 years (1985-2003?). His tours of duty included service in
Northern Ireland, humanitarian operations in northern Iraq following the Gulf War of 90/91, and
Exercise Ocean Wave when a battle group of ships and personnel were sent to the Far East in
1997 to oversee the handover of Hong Kong to China. He also trained as a parachutist.

564 Ian Clark ORR (1954-2014) (Member 1989-99 - see #533; rejoined 24.5.2004;
died 20.3.2014 whilst still a member.) Veterinary surgeon. Senior Partner
of Black & Partners, and then Managing Director of Blacks Vets after the
practice converted to a limited company in 2008. See entry #533 above for
a more detail.

565 David ATTWOOD (1954- ) (Inducted 6.12.2004; President 2011-12; made a Paul Harris Fellow
2014; still a member at 2022.) Accounting service. Chartered Accountant
practising as Attwood & Co. from 1990, at first in Wolverhampton and then
from 2014 in Peartree Lane, Dudley.
David was brought up in Sydenham, South London and attended
Colfe’s Grammar School at nearby Lee Green until completing his O levels.
He came to the Midlands in 1971 to join his family who had moved 18
months earlier. He attended Brierley Hill Grammar School and then
Wolverhampton Polytechnic where he gained a BA in Business Studies. In
1976 he joined the major practice of chartered accountants Robson
Rhodes in their Birmingham office as a trainee accountant. He qualified in 1980 and transferred
to the firm’s Wolverhampton office in 1982, becoming a Partner in 1985. He left in August 1990
to set up on his own account.
He is a keen cyclist. At 13 he joined the Velo Club Londres and enjoyed youth racing at Herne
Hill Velodrome and Crystal Palace. He stopped for a few years after coming to Dudley but took
up rugby and played for Dudley Kingswinford colts. Once had had gained his professional