Ken Pickles was born in 1939 at Riddlesden. He attended a local school reluctantly, intermittently. He was a born naturalist and spent his time in the countryside. During the war he lived for a time in Scotland. He became a gamekeeper, a highland soldier and a piper. He joined the police force in 1961. He has had two books on bees, one on poetry and a number of short stories published; two poems selected by General Lord Richard Dannatt and the Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy published in a book called Heroes. He is married with one daughter and two grandchildren. Ken continues to play the pipes, paint in oils and write. He is descended from Irish, Scottish and Yorkshire stock and says if he was a terrier with that pedigree he might be a winner at Crufts Dog Show!