Memories of Pete Gardner

Peter James Gardner 16th June 1943 – 7th October 2021

Early years

Peter James Gardner born in Watford on 16th June 1943, Pete's schooling saw him attending St Oswald's Church School in 1947 then on to Malvern Way and Little Green Junior Middle School. Durrants Secondary Modern followed and finally Watford Technical College.
While working at Sun Printers, other jobs, include Car Sprayer / Panel Beater, Litho Printing, Print Salesman, Dustman Three Rivers Council and recycling for Onyx Plastics and Paper, Bar Steward, Fox and Hounds Croxley, Coach and Horses Rickmansworth and Red House Croxley, Entertainer (Jamie's People) Hobbies, Military History, and Gun collecting.

Whilst browsing and reading this page you may want to listen to some of Pete's Music (31 minute compilation)

Where did it all start?

It all started around about 1947 when on holiday at Pete's Aunties farm "Northfields." His brother Gerald had been evacuated there during the war with many other children, family and friends, they had a large house many rooms in the Attic and they spent many hours playing with fancy dress clothes and toys many of which were Victorian. In a corner of the Attic Pete found a Ukulele and that started it off, Pete took to show his Dad who was a drummer in a 1930's band and he could little tune or two on it, so he started teaching me, caught on very quickly and soon mastered some wartime songs my Dad knew, Pete thought the first song he ever learned was by George Formby's, "Who guards the Guards home While the Home Guards Guarding Homes", A few years later he was about 13 or 14, when a family friend from the Merchant Navy, Doug Joiner on leave and he showed Pete a Guitar he had bought on one of his trips and asked if he would like to buy it, well (thanks to Pete's Dad) he was able to the raise 3 pounds and it was his, this was when music was changing, Billy Cotton and Alan Breeze still were with also the Star Gazers top of the music "Pop’s" but there was a change creeping in Skiffle and "Rock and Roll" this Pete loved, so at Durrants School Pete formed a band with Howerd Jensen, Barry Smart and Colin Riddle they learnt “Last Train to San Fernando” this was and Is the Rock and Roll Years "From Croxley Green and Back" song he did in a Talent show on the Isle of White, with his good friends and neighbours the Gibbs family. Also in the charts was Nancy Whisky, Chas McDevitt's "Freight Train Freight Train Going So Fast" they were off, below is a picture of the Durrants Stage, in a lunch time session with school mates not the band, proper and overseen by Miss Sleight, and the music teach Ms. Green, in the picture with Pete on the left, on the right Barry Smart, Colin Riddle on upturned Banjo for drums, and on mouth harp Terry Edwards, we were playing at the time. Lonnie Donegan's "Gambling Man" they were some of the happy memories of Durrants and first steps to playing music , I was also encouraged in this direction by the Art Teacher, Mr. Eric Beer, who taught me photography as well as I said music was changing "Rock around the Clock”, Bill Haley, Elvis , and so we thought a change in direction music wise away from Skiffle to Rock and Roll was needed so we could cater for a bigger audience, at that time along came Barry Huband, plus a new lad who could play lead guitar, Howerd Jenson, Barry was a very talented lad was on TV. singing in a Christmas show, played piano, guitar and could really sing.

1959

The Birth of Barry and the Wildcats - Well, they practiced many times and got the act together, now the band wanted to see what Joe Public thought of them. Barry and the band were now called Barry and The Wildcats. The road to stardom beckoned or so they thought? Picture left to right Bob, Howard, Barry and Pete.

At that time in Croxley there had just been built a Royal British Legion Hall and club in the Watford Road just down from what used to be Fishers Garage, a man and his wife Mr. and Mrs. Watkins from Winton Drive ran a youth club there Wednesday nights, he heard about Pete and the band and asked them to do a Gig. Well, they went down so well he booked the band for every Wednesday night and they got so good he suggested that they ought to make a record, but if paid for it he would be the Manager if things got under way, so he booked the A.B.C. recording studio in Baker Street opposite the Moo-Cow coffee bar it was the time frothy coffee was the in craze, they recorded "Stuck on You” Elvis no. at the time, "Johnny -B- Good", Chuck Berry, and a country song, “Have I Told You Lately That I love You” they turned out very well, but at the time they could do nothing with them, management was a bit local so they started to get pictures done of the band, to get an agent. Barry told Pete one night that the band needed a Bass, and asked if Pete could get hold of one as till then Pete used his own guitar tuned down. This was about 1959 when Pete was at the time working in London at a firm called Carlton Artists in the photo dark room, they made large backdrops for the B.B.C. and stores in and around London, working with Pete at the time was a colourful bloke Richard Burton, (no not that one!) who Pete found out had just left, Marty Wilde's Band "The Wildcats" and had a Hofner fiddle bass for sale, there were only a few of them made then this one was the Tenth, he wanted 60 pounds for it, (thanks Dad). Pete then entered the band as Bass player proper, the line up in pic, Bob Menim drums, Howard Jenson lead guitar, Barry Huband singer and guitar, drums piano etc. etc., and Pete Gardner on bass. The band were ready to "Rock". After a while their reputation had reached Watford and at the bottom of Woodford Road was a Trade Union Hall, and on Fridays and Saturdays it was run by a couple of blokes called Bernie Murphy and Dave York, it was the place to be, rough was not the term, and when they played there they had Bouncers throwing people in!! The band were told to always keep playing if a fight broke out at the back so Bernie and Dave could sort it all out well when you had Carpenders Park versus Oxhey there was little hope of containing any rucks, and it spread with us moving the amps and themselves back from the footlights.

Another gig was at the St Johns Hall Queens Road Watford, and the dear old "Splash Club" Rickmansworth, great nights there with two bands the other was "Tony Bolton and the Arrows”, the band were then called "The Wildcats" after now defuncted band of Marty Wilde, they also played Woodside Community Centre too they again were happy days see pictures of The Wildcats on stage Watford Trade Union Hall about 1959-60.

1960
Around this time, Pete left his job in London as he was offered a job at Sun Printers as a Retoucher and a top job and as Pete's parents said a "proper job”, so sadly Pete left the band and concentrated on his work in the print, during that time one of his work mates was friends of a manager of a few groups that were doing well they were on a season Yarmouth at Jack Jays Windmill theatre. Pete's friend Rodney Dock asked if he'd like to go with him weekends to see the groups and this they did, at the time Carl Denver was top of the pops with Wimoweh and the Vernon girls were charting with the "Locomotion" and the top band there was the Tornados with Telstar, they stayed with Carl in his flat and had fun days out with the Vernon girls and Pete fell a bit in love with Maureen of the Vernon girls, the name they were given was taken from where they worked the Vernon's pools girls band the football pools company I'm sure everyone’s Dad filled in on Friday nights.

1964

During this year, Pete and getting home late on Sunday nights with work the next day started to get on top of Pete and so he carried on just playing his guitar at home dreaming of that day when ???? he'd get another chance to tread the boards. At this time Pete owned a 1929 Lagonda and seeing him driving around Croxley must have given the impression he was still a pop star. Whilst visiting gigs, Pete noted that the car was a big pull with the stars wanting to be photographed next to it.

While at the Sun Pete thought he'd find a new stage name, so a friend Tony Avery a fellow Retoucher had a few ideas and Pete liked the name Jim but though it too close to other singers so he said why not Jamie, right that's it, now at the time Pete was a keen collector of antique guns, so he said Jamie Gunne, as Jamie is Scottish why not the clan name Gunne, so Pete was born again, this name stayed with Pete ‘till the end , see pictures below, plus guns etc. Pete Gardner aka Jamie Gunne.

1965

The name Jamie Gunne may well be more familiar to people than that of Peter Gardner, colour Retoucher employed at Sun Printers Limited in Watford. This has been occasioned by his ability as a vocalist, notably through the medium of radio being brought into the homes of thousands of listeners.

Asked how he chose his stage name, Peter explained that he had Scottish connections and apart from being a collector of guns, Gunne is a clan name. He also had a second christian name of Scottish origin - James - which all added up to Jamie Gunne.

In 1965, Jamie had recently completed a three months series of programmes on the "Light" at the B.B.C. as a vocalist with the Alabama Hayriders in "Folkroom"

In November 1965 Pete was still being advertised as part of the Alabama Hayriders and was playing near nightly at the New Red Lion in Brentford High Street that was advertised as the Pub of Pubs with London's Finest Country & Western Bands.

1965 25th April

Above is a copy of the one-year contract between The Flintlocks and The Jackson Recording Company. The contract was signed by Pete on behalf of the band.

1965 27th April

In the mid-1960s Pete was submitting his music for the approval of his peers and despite knockbacks did not give up and in later years in c1967 he did go on to record in Nashville.
Looking back at Pete's archives, is clear that he was probably the biggest fan of Jim Reeves and as per the suggestion in the letter above, he probably wrote to Jim Reeves.

Pete also wrote to the Radio Corporation of America and was in communications with Chet Atkins head of Nashville operations.

Pete's persistence finally paid off when is August 1966 The Flintlocks travelled to Nashville Tennessee to cut their new record.

1965 21st May

Pete Sommerfield of Edward Sommerfield Limited was Pete's manager and they wrote to Pete advising that they were accepting new material for Pete and that Pete was to keep them up to date as to where they band were playing. The letter below shows that Edward Sommerfield Limited were his manager and they were recording songs at the Jackson Recording Company in Denham.

1966

Johnny and The Hayriders were spotted by well-known BBC disc jockey, Jack Jackson in 1966. He invited them to record a demo at his studio in Rickmansworth. He liked the band but not their name, so he suggested a name change to 'The Flintlocks'. This name clearly had a resonance with Pete with his love of collecting guns and his stage name of Jamie Gunne.

1966 12th June

The Flintlocks appeared at the Wimbledon Palais on Saturday 118th June 1996 and were paid £12:00 to appear as can be seen in the above contract. The contract stated that they could play for a maximum of 45 minutes and the band were not allowed to appear within a 2-mile radius of the Wimbledon Palais in the week before the contract.

The single was released June 3rd 1966 on the Decca Records label and sold 900 copies in the first four days.

1966 August

Pete's persistence finally paid off when The Flintlocks proudly announced with a flier that they would be unable to play any gigs between Tuesday 2nd August and Saturday 6th August as they would be cutting the master disc for their new record in Nashville Tennessee that was and still is "The Country Music Centre of the World"

1966 September

Pete was on a 10-day tour with the Flintlocks in Scotland. On Friday 7th October 1966 The Flintlocks headlined at the Ballerina in Nairn and were reference as "The Down Under Sound of the Aussie Beat" from Australia. Further gigs on this tour were at the Two Red Shoes Ballroom in Elgin, Tain Town Hall and the Longmore Hall in Keith to name a few places. With the proceeds from the sales of their first record, the group purchased a brand-new Ford Transit Minibus costing £900.

On Tour in Scotland September / October 1966

1967 3rd October

Pete had written to his agents on 1st October 1967 and on 3rd October Pete received a letter from his agents Pavion Limited asking him to perhaps reconsider his reasons for wanting to leave the Flintlocks band. They held him in high esteem and asked Pete to reconsider his decision before making decisions that he could regret in the future.

c1967 / 1968

We believe that these photographs were taken in late 1966 or in early 1967 as promotional images for Pete's change in stage name to Jamie Gunn. These images are doubly important as the photographs were taken in Stones Orchard when there were horses stables there and are the only photographs of the stables we know we know of.

1967 January

In January 1967, Jamie Jon and Jerry were invited to "top the bill" in a "New Sound of Country Music" show in Liverpool. The show was promoted by Don Mace. They played for one hour at the Grafton Ballroom to an audience of 1,200 who loved them. Jon said afterwards, the Country scene in Liverpool is marvellous, the people up there really go for our kind of music. We had a great reception and a terrific night and would like to go back very soon.

Around this time, Jamie, Jon and Jerry found a drummer that suited them. Jed Kelly came from Newbury and the band withed their last drummer Jesse luck in the future.

The fan club was going from strength to strength and appointed Murray Kash the leading Country DJ as their fan club President. The band met Murray Kash at a Country & Western convention at the Marquee Club in Wardour Street London.

1967 4th March

Local Group's Facelift

Hoping to break into the Country & Western Scene are a Newbury group - Jamie, Jon and Jerrie. Their first record, A Legend in My Time, written by Don Gibson, has just been released by DECCA.
Jamie (Gunn), Jon (Derek Junior) and Jerrie Hogan all turned professional last year as The Flintlocks.
But you wouldn't recognise us now: "We've tidied up and learnt a lot" said Jon. Two of the original lineup have left.
As the Flintlocks they played on the Saturday Club, Easy Beat and Radio Caroline. But they weren't satisfied with their promotion.
After a wrangle over managers they landed Don Arden (manager of the Nashville Teens and the Small Faces) and with him they got a face-lift and a new name. He also brought them to DECCA.
"For the record we had two eight hour sessions, someone must have faith in us because they've given us a fantastic strings backing" said Jerrie. The lead violinist was David McCallum's father, a great bloke" said Jamie.
They think long hair is out (they've all got neat brush cuts) and are not too keen with the bands image "We're entertainers" they said.
If it all goes well we've got plans for tours (as the Flintlocks they've already been to America) and new disks.

1967 March

In March 1967 the Flintlocks had become Jamie, Jon and Jerrie. As the Flintlocks they had played on the Saturday Club, Easy Beat and Radio Caroline but were unhappy with the way they were being promoted. After a wrangle with managers, they landed Don Arden as their manager. Arden was the infamous father of Sharon Osbourne and manager of Black Sabbath as well as many other famous bands.
One of Jamie, Jon and Jerry's first gigs was in March 1967 at the Plaza Ballroom in Newbury. To add some context to this event, in February 1967, the Jimi Hendrix Experience played at the Plaza Ballroom and in April 1967, Eric Clapton and Cream played there.

Manager Don Arden secured a new deal for the band with Decca Records and their first single was released March 4, 1967 (I'd Be) A Legend In My Time

Plaza Ballroom, Newbury

1967 12th August

Clearly, Jamie Jon & Jerry were experiencing success with their record "You've Still Got a Place in My Heart" (listen above) by reaching number 7 in the Record Mirror country music charts and they were in the chats with renowned musicians as Engelbert Humperdinck, Jin Reeves and Tom Jones.

1967 Summer

Jamie, John & Jerry played at the Base Fair in the summer of 1967 at the USAF base at Upper Heyford. The band supported Lulu. The band were questioned as to who got Lulu drunk....

Lulu appearing at the Base Fair - Summer of 1967

Circa 1967, Cigarette Hoax

Clipping of the Hoax that Pete kept

Cigarette packet hoaxes was a scam that appeared every few years and it appears that Jamie, Jon and Jerry were caught up in the scam by asking their fans to collect packets for them. Pete did the decent thing and took all the collected cigarette packets home with him.

1967 Saturday 30th September 5:30pm

Country Meets Folk on RADIO 1
Wally Whyton introduced folk, country and western music on record and, in person, The Cree; Jamie, Jon, and Jerry
Murray Kash reviews some current recordings
Contra bass fiddle, Brian Brocklehurst
Contributors
Presenter: Wally Whyton
Musicians: The Cree
Musicians: Jamie, Jon, and Jerry
Reviewer: Murray Kash
Contra bass fiddle: Brian Brocklehurst
Producer: Ian Grant

Radio Times 30th September 1967

1970 4th March

After a short while, Pete got itchy feet for the footlights again so he thought he would form a local band for weddings, wakes and dances etc. so "Jamie's People" was formed. Pete Gardner aka Jamie Gunn is back with his new band Jamie's People and on 4th March 1970 signed to Gemini Records. Pete signed to receive 3% of record sales and 25% of royalties.

Pete put out the feelers for people to join and auditioned a bass player called Ian Hewitt, then a lead guitar Brian Shepperd with thanks to the lads for knowing Hans Herbert they got real drummer and Jamie's People played weekends or so Pete thought.
When playing the Fullers Country Pub's again Pete was approached by a man called Carl Denker, who owned President Records at the time he had a record at No.1 by a band called the Equals with their hit "Baby Come Back." He asked Jamie's People to record an L.P Jamie's People Bring Nashville to England" and it did OK but was not a hit. Pete thought his Mum bought most of them. Carl Denker said he would we like Jamie's People to cover a record by a band called the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Bob Dylan's band Pete thought. The song was from "Paint Your Wagon" "Hand Me Down That Can of Bean's" on it the only person to make real money was my Pete's brother John on Jaws Harp, he was paid expenses as he was not a member of the band, so they recorded it and out it went to sell again quite well, but not that elusive hit!! so we played on , during the gigs for Fullers they used to play a pub called the Adam and Eve in Hayes and it became a cult place to go from Croxley Green that was Pete's home town.

Jamie's People promotional photograph

Jamie's' People, Bring Britain to Nashville record cover.

The song on Bring Britain to Nashville are; Side 1 Track 1: Six Days Upon The Road / Side 1 Track 2: Lonesome Fugitive / Side 1 Track 3: Hand Me Down That Can O' Beans / Side 1 Track 4: Mental Revenge / Side 1 Track 5: I'll Love Again / Side 1 Track : Old Blue / Side 2 Track 1: Everybody Wants To Get To Heaven / Side 2 Track : I've Been Had / Side 2 Track 3: Shadows Of Her Mind / Side 2 Track 4: Corn Pickin' / Side 2 Track 5: A Million Tears / Side 2 Track 6: Don't Make Love

Jamie's People also recorded a few records for a Country Magazine called "Country Music People" they recorded acts and sold records through their Magazine all the time Jamie's People were getting to a wider public audience.

1970 8th May

MEET JAMIE'S PEOPLE

FOUR YOUNG Men who recently jumped on to the bandwagon are Jamie's People, a group that have made several appearances at Kensington's Nashville Rooms.

They have just released their first single as professionals - a song from the musical "Paint Your Wagon"

Lee Marvin's low register gravel rendering of a song from the show went straight to the top of the charts. Now the lads hope that "Hand Me Down That Can O' Beans" will do as well.

They have been promised backing from the producers of the film. The record is on the new Gemini label.

Guitarist Brian Sheppard told us: "We do modern Country numbers, mostly Jamie Gunn, the lead singer, sings Jim Reeves and Johnny Cash style songs, and Ian Richard and I sing in the style of The Byrds.

The group have been together for six months and turned professional two months ago. Left to right they are Brian Sheppard, Jamie Gunn, Ray Dawson (Drums) and Ian Richard.

1969 1st December

Meet me tonight in the Cow Shed!

Miss World takes in the Country - Western scene

Country and Western has found another attractive home in the newly decorated "Cow Shed" at the Red Cow, Hammersmith Road, decorated in real Western style. There will be a great send off on Thursday night, when the Lorne Gibson Trio - and Jamie, John and Jerry are that nights line up, both great BBC and recording groups. Many BBC and stage stars will be there to wish them luck.

One of the last pictures taken at the Adam and Eve Pub Hayes. Always a good time there till one Sunday night on the way back to Croxley Green on the Denham bypass there was a car crash and three people from Croxley Green and two from St Albans were killed. After that the crowds stopped coming to that gig it was a very sad time in Croxley and Pete's heart was not really in it anymore. Pete thought he'd pack it in as the amount of miles he was doing and the odds were against him, so Pete had a chat to the lads and told them to find other bands. The good news was that Jon Derek of Country Fever needed a bass and lead, so other than Hans who was anyway moving house to Brighton, Pete was able to pack up full time, although he got together a band to do the odd gigs.

Also, around the time of the Adam and Eve Pete had a young lad who came up to the band at a show and asked if he could help carry their gear out for the band to the van, and could he go to other gigs with the band if he helped? Well, he joined up with the band as "Ray the Roadie" his name was Ray Kedge and he started to learn steel and sat in with the band a few nights a week and went on to be one of the top steel players in England running his own band, "Country Rose" plus a duo with his son Steve. Maybe you have seen or heard them they were a top band and Pete watched him progress from out of tune to in tune to the top and they remained good friends.

c1985

Enter the "Aristocrats" Irish Style Country Band. A few months after the retirement from Jamie's People and after the car crash, Pete got a phone call from his friend Howard who started off with Pete in Barry and the Wildcats in 1958-59 that so many years ago and he said "fancy a few gigs playing in an Irish Showband" he was playing with! They needed a country singer and bass player for a few nights! Well two to three years later Pete was still gigging with them the Aristocrats, made up of many now defunct Irish show band top rate blokes just thrown together for a beer and a few bob, it was fun and they also got to do warm ups at Irish clubs for their real stars like Big Tom and the Mainliners, Brenden Shine, Lee Lynch etc. The Galtymore Cricklewood, the Garryowen Streatham, gateway to the South. The Roebuck in Lewisham, the Gresham Ballroom and all the Irish clubs and Pubs in Hammersmith plus many Wakes and Weddings.

In picture above and left to right, Sid the Lid drummer drinking, Pete with glass in hand over table Pat Delacy on saxophone and clarinet, guitar singer of sorts and a fiddle player too, Austin "O" Malley just gone to the gents, who was in the Pacific Show band in the 70's. Dear old Howard who started with Pete and the Wildcats, 35 years before.

1990

Jon Derek phoned Pete one Saturday for their usual monthly chat and he mentioned he was in the studio cutting an L.P. he said would like to come and watch, I told him I'd be there , well at the session he recorded all his material and had about 20 mins of studio time left I said could I use it as I'd like to cut a record for Charity and my Dad for Christmas, this was 1990 he said help yourself, but straight takes no re-recordings just in out and that's it, well the songs I had in mind were my Dads favourite "Old Style Country Music" one "That Silver Haired Daddy of Mine" Gene Autry, cowboy song , and Jim Reeves “Am I Losing You" well cut them and went ahead with making the cassettes.

About this time 1990, Jon Derek was asked if Pete if they could do a gig together that is Gerry Hogan, Jon, and Pete for the Jim Reeves fan club dance and get together in London for old times' sake plus a Guinness (Jon loved), this was the last time Pete saw Jon after that he lost touch with him a bit as he was on the road, playing with his band "Country Fever" They spoke on the phone some times and always had a laugh about the old days when we were on the road.
Pete said these were some of the happiest days of his life, not just the music but being with such good friends as Jon, and Jerry, it was a great ride and he was glad he was on board, picture below of Jim Reeves Fan Club, Get together in 1990. pics this was the last time I ever saw Jon Derek when he passed away. He was inducted into the British "Country Hall of Fame" a place he deserved he was the best British country singer going. He was very much a George Jones, Hank Locklin and Buck Owens singer's voice although also he had a good pop voice too, Jon Derek passed away 2011 a sad loss to all British country music fans but also to his many friends outside of the stage who knew him as I did a true friend and great Entertainer. R.I.P.

Above is Jamie, Jon & Jerry's last time together in 1975. Pete still had his Hofner fiddle bass, bought all those years ago, when he first started in 1959.

Well, this is the end of the Pete Gardner / Jamie Gunn story, Pete was always thankful to the many folks, too many to name, who had helped him and stood by him over so many years.

2007 Autumn

In 2007, Pete was now living in Vietnam but clearly still had Croxley Green in his heart as he wrote an article for The Croxley Resident that can be read below;

Pete's article that was published in the Autumn 2007 edition of the Croxley Resident

Dear Readers From the Film "Good Morning Vietnam" it's now "Good Morning Croxley Green" but in Dear Old Croxley, the things we [I] took for granted ends.

I live in a village as Croxley is to London, my village is called Binh Phuoc, and my London is Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City The change in my life could not be greater, most people as I did from the U.K. come here armed only with the knowledge, of Rambo, Full Metal, Jacket, Platoon, etc and all the Hollywood films, but you will find a very peaceful land full of forgiving kind people, who have had wars, for 200 years or more, not just the American war, the French, Chinese, Japanese, and the last war Pol Pot, in Cambodia 1980-2, there are also still 30,000 Vietnamese, missing in action, in Cambodia, but as I said they are very forgiving, most are Buddhist, they live for tomorrow and yesterday is gone, to worry about it only makes you feel bad, so they forgive and move on. I live in a small village road, average pay in the road is about $40. a month, about 60 pence a day, many are very poor but don't complain about things, they just get on with it, the smiles are very big. There are still war places to visit here and a big tourist attraction is the Tunnels of Chu Chi, 50kms from my house, where they fought from under ground, the tunnels go right into Campochia, some are six floors down. The coast here is very beautiful, untouched in many places, so if you expect a five star hotel, don't bother also I'm very near the Mekong Delta, which is also very beautiful with floating markets, and stunning countryside. The many friends who have visited me from Croxley, see with me the real side of Vietnam, not the tourist side, but as a local. Here's one for the boys, having been told beer in Croxley is around £2.50 a pint, my local Lager is in Vietnamese money 7,000 Dong, 25p a litre, I don't smoke YORK HOUSE SCHOOL Redheath, Sarratt Road, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth WD34LW • An excellent School for boys 4 - 13 • Kindergarten for boys and girls from rising 3 • Highly qualified and caring staff • New Junior school, ADT and Science facilities • Excellent success rate to Senior Schools at 13+ • Superb facilities set in 47 acres of Green Belt To arrange a visit or to request a prospectus, please contact the Headmaster, Mr. Peter MacDougall, on Tel: 01923 772395 Website: www.york-house.com E-mail: [email protected] York House is an expanding IAPS school, administered by Charitable Trust No. 311076 3 but here many do, the ciggies are about the same price about 30pence for 20, I built a house here six bedrooms all with toilets and showers, for 30,000$, £15000 no planning permission, water from a 90ft well in the garden, no rates, dustman costs and it's a hand cart, $2 = £1 a month, as for recycling poor people come down the road and ask for that to get money for food etc, so nothing is wasted, so the change from dear Croxley is very big, I'll never be an ex pat, former Croxleyite, as my heart will always be with the lovely people, who put up with my fun and stunts, the Cabin, on the corner of New Road, the Flag pole with the Christmas tree on top, the Revels with myoid Vampire Jet, and of course the many good drinking friends in the Fox and Hounds, New Road, although I might have been seen or heard in others ?????? and last anyone who might think of coming this way don't hesitate to contact me even if you're on a tour, I'll always have time for a chat and a pint in Saigon, and catch up on the latest scandal from Croxley,

so not "letter from America"
"Just a note from Saigon"
as always
Pete Gardner x

Pete's final thoughts on Croxley Green were;
Dear "Old Durrants”, Secondary Modern School where it all began with help of people like Eric Beer the art teacher, 1956-7 happy Days of "Long ago and far away"
Pete's memories are dedicated to Croxley Green, Family and Friends, with his thanks for their support over so many years also the many people who he had met on life’s highway, it is, and was a great ride.

“A Big Thank you.”

Without doubt we know that Pete Gardner was a famous 1960's Country & Western pop star, a collector of gun and military memorabillia and when resting was probably to be found in his garden cabin quaffing on his homemade Vino Cabino wine but... Pete was a well known person in the community and tried to help make Croxley Green a better place to live. Pete tried to become a district councillor and was also a well known supporter of the Revels and for a few years took his aeropalne cockpit to the Revels for children to play in. Thanks to Pete's wife Margaret, he became the owner of the Celtic Memorial Cross from Dickinsons Mill and for many years it was displayed in his hedgerow oppostite the library. You can read more about the history of the Celtic Cross HERE (Coming Soon)

Cockpit delivery

Croxley Revels 1984

Pete appearing in the Watofrd Observer

Croxley Revels 1984

With thanks to Naomi and Christian for sharing Pete's writings and scrapbook