12 Months On - My time to reflect - it's REALLY all over

It is, today, exactly 12 months since I walked through the hallowed portals of the Royal Courts of Justice for the 'three minutes' that transformed me from 'Debtor' to 'Bankrupt' and totally changed my life. I appreciate that I received my Early Discharge after six months, but today kind of puts the stamp of 'Finality' on the whole process, so I just thought I'd take a bit of time to 'look back' on events and contemplate what the future may hold in store.
My story is no different, nor should it be, than many of those who post on this board, but maybe there are lessons that others may learn in order to avoid some of the many mistakes that I have made:

For over 20 years I had been a 'Self-Employed' businessman, selling Euorpean processing machinery to the UK Food Industry, and specialising in the often turbulent sector of Cooked Meat Production.
It was never a 'get rich quick' industry and I had both good and bad years. I kept my business small and never employed more than two people - I 'hired in' specialist labour when required, and basically the business gave me a 'reasonable' living - though never enough to be able to suggest that my wife gave up her 'nursing career'.
I had none of the 'trappings of wealth' - we bought our house in 1976 and, because we could not afford to 'upgrade' we extended it in 1988. I have NEVER purchased a brand new car, although, as an Ex-Demonstrator, my last car WAS the newest I had ever had. I also paid my taxes - sometimes late - and often against what were exaggerated demands from the Inland Revenue (HMRC). So, all in all, there was nothing special about my life or profession.

So - what went wrong? Difficult to put a finger on any one thing that led to my financial meltdown. The UK Food Industry had been going through turbulent times, with the lingering effects of BSE, cheap imported products and the increasing price control by the supermarkets, squeezing the margins of my potential customers leading to reduced capital investment....the list is endless, but I am not even looking for 'excuses' perse. Ever the optimist, and not really knowing what else I could do with my life, I carried on, ignoring the warning signs, and forever chasing 'the big one' I financed myself on my dwindling savings and my £10,000.00 overdraft facility and was not drawing any 'personal salary' from the business. I was, by now, operating as a 'one man band' and had even stopped paying my accountant and was trying to handle this 'foreign' side of my business, as well as trying to generate sales.
I was throwing myself 'seven days a week' at my attempts to keep the business afloat when, one day in January 2006, I received a letter, from HSBC, withdrawing my overdraft facility, two weeks after they had debited my account with the £200 fee for the next 12 months provision of this service. That, I suppose, was the real start of the 'Roller Coaster' of events that culminated in my bankruptcy.
Without the 'cushion' of the overdraft facility, and although I still had orders coming in, I found myself unable to meet my regular monthly commitments, including the 'rental' on my business unit and the monthly HP payments for my car. At this time I was very naive and almost totally unaware of any Debt Counselling Organisations or forums such as DFW, and felt completely powerless. My car was repossessed in March of 2006 and, two weeks later, a collector from HMRC turned up at my unit, to 'demand' £63,000.00.
Despite agreeing with me that I had not even turned over that amount in the last two years - far less had I taken the £200,000.00 salary that would have been necessary to warrant a £63,000.00 Tax demand, HMRC went ahead and obtained a CCJ against me. By now the HMRC demands, with penalties and interest, had risen to £70,000.00. I attended two meetings, with HMRC, asking for their help, but not getting any, and on a bright sunny morning in August 2006 a young lady from HMRC turned up at my house and served me with a 'Statutory Demand' which, inevitably led to the petition for my Bankruptcy on 26th October 2006.
I am reminded, daily, of that eventful day, as, due to the Lady Diana inquest, the 'magnificent' entrance to the Royal Courts of Justice is featured as a backdrop to all of the news reports. The cameras were, also, there on the 26th of October last year, and I remember trying to blend, inconspicuously, into the background - in case anyone recognised me.
The actual Court hearing was fine - the judge was a real gentleman and said that I probably deserved a 'fresh start' - even suggested that I took time to have a look around the historic building, as he shook my hand and wished me well.
No real problem with the OR, either - as I was not earning, nor was I in receipt of any benefit, I was not given an IPA/IPO and my 'affairs in bankruptcy' were transferred to a 'Trustee'.
My only real assetts, other than a couple of pension funds and a £1.00 Premium Bond, which I had to surrender to the OR, was my Beneficial Interest in the Family Home - estimated at £70k. I know that many people would say that a house is just 'bricks and mortar' but we always considered our house to be our home - it holds many memories, good and bad - but mainly good, so we were determined not to lose it. We are now in the final stages of purchasing my BI from the trustee, and, although it means that I will have the millstone of a £60k mortgage around my neck at the age of 57, it also means that my creditors WILL receive a sizeable payment from my estate in bankruptcy.
Yes I do begrudge the fact that HMRC, and the other equally nasty people among my creditors, including MBNA and HSBC, will see some return against their claim, but there were, to be fair, one or two 'creditors' who were unfairly caught up in my bankruptcy, including my principle business supplier and the landlord of my business unit - both of whom had helped me, unlike the aforementioned, when I had told them that my business was in trouble.
This has NOT been an easy year, for me. Other than a two month 'consultancy' job with an ex-customer, I have not been working - NOR I must add, have I been in receipt of any benefits. My family relations, including my marriage of 30 years, have been strained to almost breaking point, yet I am not bitter - resentfull yes, but not bitter.
I have learnt many lessons - the main one being not to fear Bankruptcy - or its effects, and to know that there are forums such as this one, where people can share advice and support.
I RESENT a 'system' which gives the authority to 'Statistic Generators' to make assumptions, with the stroke of a cheap black ballpoint, which will impact, often far more seriously than in my case, on the lives of ordinary people, whose only 'crime' is that they find it difficult to fill in a form that has been criticised at the highest levels for its lack of 'user-friendliness', yet are seldom called to account themselves.
I RESENT a 'Credit Industry' which operates one millimetre on the legal side of 'entrapment' and uses the imposition of punitive charges and interest rates, prior to unleashing the 'dogs' that inhabit the murky sub-culture of debt-collection, as an answer to a 'debtor's' pleas for help.

Anyway - and congratulations to those of you who have made it this far without falling asleep - today is a special day - Early Discharge was great, but it never felt real. Today marks the end of the 12 month period - that feels good.

I STILL can't help looking - everytime they show the Royal Courts of Justice on the TV - for a short, middle aged gentleman,carrying a leather briefcase and wearing a Black Blazer, trying to look inconspicuous, as he hastilly exits those 'Gothic Portals'.

Thanks for ALL of your support - and thanks for reading.