Last week, David Cretney told our readers about the early part of his life and a tragedy that changed it.

This week he goes on to later times.

After the post office Viv and Mike Hooper kindly gave me work.

Mike and I would do anything on his removal van.

When the family owned waxworks relocated to the Crescent cinema site, moochers market and allsorts under 18s disco were established in Wellington Street.

So I managed the shop during the day and became a DJ at night.

I would never have imagined that 44 years later I’m still doing charity discos!

In 1979 I progressed to the Grasmere hotel working for the Henthorn family and what a year that was as 600,000 visitors came to the island to help celebrate the millennium of Tynwald.

Also in 1979 as a big music fan I qualified for BBC Radio 2’s UK music game and travelled to London for the final.

Sadly I didn’t make the European final!

My wife is a great dancer so I met her at Allsorts and in 1980 we married.

She has been very patient over the years because of my commitment to work and I’ve not always been available for special occasions for our daughters Sarah, born 1985 and Julie, born 1990.

Being a Tynwald member also impacts your private life as did my previous life experiences, which still do from time to time.

By now I was a member of the Manx Labour Party and in 1983 I organised a petition which resulted in a rates reduction and a reduction of the Battery Pier extension from 40 tonne trucks 24 hours a day using the haul route past properties to 12 hours a day.

I also supported the opposition campaign to the proposed siting of the refuse incinerator in the town centre and stood and was elected as a 29-year-old to Douglas Town Council representing St George’s Ward.

The year 1985 was special.

In January our first daughter was born.

I was taking over Moochers, renting from Viv at exactly the same time!

Then Mattie Ward was elevated to the legislative council and I was the Manx Labour Party nominated candidate.

I held up a photo of my new baby in a public meeting at St George’s Hall and said I wanted to see a better future for our young people.

Peter Karran and I were elected on April 25 1985.

We joined Bernie May who had been selected in March and together with Mattie Ward and Eddie Lowey we had five Tynwald members.

It was an important time and social and economic change was needed with 3,500 people out of work from a lower working population and no reserves to speak of.

In 1986 Miles Walker was elected as our first Chief Minister.

Bernie and Eddie became ministers.

Our position had been to be at the table rather than shouting from the sidelines.

The people of South Douglas went on to return me to the top of the poll six times with more votes than any other MHK elected in Douglas over 25 years.

I was a minister for 18 years, 10 of which in tourism - or ’fun’ as I renamed it!

I also chaired the TT organisation for 10 years introducing a number of changes that were much needed.

The year 2000 was an emotional rollercoaster with Joey Dunlop winning three races in the presence of UK Sports Minister Kate Hoey, only to lose him weeks later.

Because of our special links I was invited to play a part at his funeral and to plant a tree in his memorial garden.

Thanks to the generosity of Arai twin statues were erected.

We renamed the 26th milestone ’Joey’s’, had the largest ever closed roads lap of honour and paid the great man due respect.

Together with six-time TT winner and world champion Geoff Duke we renamed the 32nd milestone ’Duke’s 32nd milestone’.

It was his choice and I had the honour to flag him off on his last lap.

My principal political interests have always revolved around social issues, with housing compromising the majority of my mailbox.

I was therefore proud to lead the movement to redevelop Pulrose where I had witnessed firsthand the time-expired housing conditions.

Other support was always given to house maintenance issues, poor quality private rented accommodation and first time buyers problems.

Employment law, mental health, the needs of an older population and suicide were always high on my agenda and I was pleased as chair of the Tynwald social issues policy review committee to put forward and have accepted a number of policy proposals.

The best progress is made when part of a team.

Significant milestones include the development of the National Sports Centre, refurbishment of the Villa Marina, and the all-weather pitch at King George V Park.

Also bringing the island games home in 2001 and the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2011.

Personal highlights for me include completing the 85-mile Parish Walk three times including a top 30 position, recording my 100mph lap in the Manx Grand Prix at last in 1998 then going the next day to Wembley stadium to meet the Bee Gees and present a Manx flag which flew proudly over the stadium.

I got to become friends with a number of TT heroes, including an exotic Italian rider on an exotic Italian machine. Giacomo Agostini still has it!

I’m very proud that both our daughters were able to attend university and together with both their husbands share my long term commitment to a better future for our young people through working in Ballakermeen and Castle Rushen.

They are putting this into real effect.

Although not fussy about getting older, there’s so much yet to be done, particularly live music, travel and walking around the Isle of Man taking photographs.

I’m very happy and really enjoying spending time with my grandchildren Ivy and Stan.

In my last meeting of Tynwald I once again held that photo of Sarah up and said I hope I have helped improve things over the 35 years.

Much more remains to be done and I wish those who follow on well...