[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by MachoPoodle

Quite educational, this thread. Never thought I'd learn this much geography on this forum.

I gotta say though, as far as the humble background is concerned, do we really know anything about how Jay grew up? One way or the other? If he started working at 15, there were probably an economical reason behind it. A lot of years have passed since then, so what he has and how he lives now doesn't really change anything.

I also find it a bit strange that some seem to automatically view having a company as posh. I used to have one, and never have I been so poor as during that time. Long hours, never able to put aside even the equivalent to minimum pay for myself, and certainly nowhere near as much as I would've gotten working all those hours somewhere else. Granted mine was small, but even middle sized companies can sometimes struggle.

I don't deny any of what you have put forward, as some or indeed, all of it could indeed apply. Harry (apparently) set up his first Company at 17 years old (IIRC) with a mere £100. (that's another story altogether - Blake's Concierge.com)

However. Jay stated that he really could not read or write well. (let's say that was due to dyslexia). he also said he hated school.

Bear with me here.

Here's the link to his parents' website - and below, a brief extract from it.

http://www.goodlifehomes.co.uk/aboutus.html

The Good Life Group of Companies are owed by husband and wife, Sue and Dean Harding and Steve Neil. Good Life was established in 2000, initially as a specialist mortgage and finance broking business.

In 2003, we opened our first estate agency office covering Sunderland City area. Our objective was simply to treat people in the way we would expect to be treated ourselves and to modernise the marketing techniques used within, what we felt, was a tired estate agency industry

We expanded into new premises on Ryhope Road in January 2006 and established ourselves as one of the three largest estate agents in the area fairly quickly and the leading agent in the City for service, approachability and professionalism.

In February 2007 we opened our second office in Whitburn Village which gave us a balanced presence for residential sales north and south of the City and along the coast from Roker, to Whitburn and Marsden and inland to Harton, Cleadon and Boldon.

.

Jay is 27. They established the company in 2000, 11 years ago when Jay was 15/16 (depending on the month of business start up/his birthday). I'd say it was a higher probability that that was the reason he started work at aged 15.

Since then, since 2000, they have their intial company, and now have a group of companies, and have expanded.

Now, I will not say that that is not a faboulous achievement, because it is.

But to pretend that his lifestyle and background (since he was 15 - ie; when the parents first set up shop), has been very humble: very much suggests to me, that THAT was where he may have started work - and he has been very selective in making no reference to how well his family have done for themselves.

Not saying it is, but I think highly probable. The remaining years since then, the company and the family have flourished.

All this was never ever mentioned by Jay - certainly not as far as HL's was concerned, nor from what any of the housemates perception of Jay - again, since not one of them referred to it in HLs. Now either Jay kept that all quiet, or BB kept it quiet.