27 Raglan Street

Robert Chessar was born in 1942 among the slums of Glasgow. His father was a soldier killed in the war in North Africa that same year. His mother was 'in service' with one of the upper-class families of the town. The story of his childhood is told in his first book, "27, Raglan Street". His secondary education was in Perthshire, Scotland, at Queen Victoria School for the sons of Scottish servicemen. In 1959 he left there to begin his career in the building industry, designing and managing mechanical services for commercial, public, medical and military establishments. During his 47 years in this field he alternated between working with contracting firms as a project manager and, in more elite positions, with international architectural and engineering consultancy partnerships. Robert's broad experience of the politics and in-fighting as well as the endemic abuse of authority by some who were promoted, often beyond their capabilities, serves him well in creating the story for this, his second book, "Achilles Heel".