Peter Hill was born in 1934 in Hartlebury. After leaving school in Stourport in 1949 he worked in farming at Charleton, just beyond Hartlebury, before joining the Army in 1951. After 3 years in the Army he left and joined the Merchant Navy working for the P&O line for another 3 years. He moved to Yarhampton (between Great Witley and Stourport) when he married Shirley Gresley, from Great Witley, in 1960. He worked for Worth’s Carpets in Stourport (on the site where the new Tesco stands) for over 40 years on an Axminster loom.

Peter tells stories of life in the Great Witley Choral Society presenting Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, the scope of the activities of Great Witley Womens’ Institute (where his wife was the Treasurer for many years) and his bell-ringing activities in churches in the surrounding area which earned him free passage on the Highley ferry! Peter tells of the strength of the community in Great Witley in the past and worries whether the village now has a similar strength and spirit. Now long since retired and, sadly, a widower, he has a zest for life and still performs as Father Christmas at events in local villages and pursues his hobby of tapestry. He has lived in the same house ever since his marriage.

Peters recording (20 mins 5 secs):