Martin Anthony Ely - born Dec 5, 1953
'Newlands' 4 Clyst Avenue, Brixham, Devon TQ5 0RL
Dad's Introduction to America
My father’s first time in America was in 1984. He had taken early retirement after the death of my mother in 1978. He was at a loss as to what to do with his life and I suggested he could try to act as my representative in Australia for my software company. He jumped at the opportunity.
I paid for his tickets and gave him money to setup an operation in Sydney. On his way, he would stop off in California and meet some of my contacts there. When he arrived he was treated like royalty and fell in love with America.
After a week in California, he left for Australia; which he had always dreamed of visiting. He did not get the same reception there as he had in America. He did not get along with Australians, which was a surprise and I have always found them to be extremely friendly, even though they love to make jokes about the English. He stayed there for 6 weeks before throwing in the towel and returning to England.
His debrief was that he would love to return to America but had no desire to ever return to Australia. It also turned out there he wasn’t a great representative.
In 1998 Dad came for his first of many visits to the United States. I was living in Pennsylvania at the time in a town called ‘King of Prussia’. At that time, I was working with Stuart Haugen on the ‘Contact-Pro’. Stuart is someone who Barry had met a few years before numerous times. In fact Barry had given Stuart one of his infamous road tests in I believe a new model Lotus Elan. Stuart told me that someone had literally dived out of the road when he saw Barry approaching and that he’d had to visit the toilet soon after the experience.
This was the first time dad had been to America since I funded his trip to America and Australia back in 1984.
The highlight of this trip for Dad was the day we spent in Manhattan (New York City). We went to the top of the Empire State building but also visited (but did not go to the top) of the twin towers. I took him to Macy’s which is a multi story department store that occupies an entire city block. Dad had never experienced anything quite like New York City.
While dad was there, he met my friend Mandi (from Fort Smith Arkansas) and the daughter of Malcolm, who Dad would meet in person 2 years later.
King of Prussia is the home of the second largest mall in America; which was literally a 5 minute walk from my house. Everything about America for Dad on that trip was wondrous. Dad, who has always said how much he disliked Americans, learned that he really didn’t dislike them at all. He just believed the propaganda that people who have never been here often believe. It was the real beginning of his love affair with everything American.
Gallery from my father's many visits
