Road to Ambridge: My Life, Peggy & the Archers

228 Pages·2010·19.97 MB·English

by  June Spencer

The Road To
AMBRIDGE
~
My life, Peggy & The Archers
June Spencer
Actress June Spencer is best known
for her role as Peggy in one of the
UK's longest-running, radio soap
operas, The Archers.
Born at a time when milk was collected in a jug
from the local store, June takes us back in time
as she affectionately recalls the slower pace of
childhood, life during the Second World War,
and coping with the return from Burma of a
husband she barely knew.
She discusses her husband's decline due
to Alzheimer's and The Archers' identical
storyline featuring her fictional husband, Jack.
With an amazing 60 years of life with The
Archers and the only original member of the
cast still performing, she has much to reveal
about playing Peggy and the other characters
of the cast. And then there is her own rich
and colourful life - her theatre career, her
experiences as an after-dinner entertainer,
adopting and raising children, meeting the
Queen and her lifetime achievement award.
Where Peggy is stem with a rather serious
outlook on life, June's story, although filled
with many sad and challenging moments, is
lnfused with humour and a Joie de vivre which,
makes The Road to Ambridge a fascinating and 1
•
lnspiring read.
£16.99
The Road To
AMBRIDGE

June Spencer
The Road To
AMBRIDGE
~
My life, Peggy & The Archers
~
BOOKS
First published in Great Britain in 2010 by
JR Books, 10 Greenland Street, London NWl 0ND
www.jrbooks.com
Copyright© 2010 June Spencer
June Spencer has asserted her moral right to be identified as the Author of this
Work in accordance with the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilised in any
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without
permission in writing from JR Books.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 978-1-907532-25-2
13579108642
Printed by Clays Ltd, St Ives plc
Contents
Acknowledgements
Vll
1 Beginnings 1
2 Transport and Childhood 13
3 Schooldays 23
4 I Begin to Perform 31
5 The War, Marriage and Rep 37
6 The World of Radio and The Arche-rs 49
7 Old Friends and Red Letter Days 63
8 My Island Paradise 75
9 Adoption and Holidays 91
10 Brief Thoughts on Fashion and Cooking 103
11 Changing Times 107
12 Pets and Other Creatures 117
13 Name-dropping and Strange Requests 125
14 The Awful Fortnight 135
15 Roger and Alzheimer's 141
16 What is Acting? 151
17 David 163
18 Travels and Treasures 171
19 Work, Ros and Parties 181
Epilogue 189
.M onologues 195

Acknowledgements
Huge thanks to Ros Parker-Ives, who suggested I should write
my memoirs and then found herself lumbered with the job of
deciphering my long-hand scrawl and typing it. To my daughter
Roz for her love and support and for jogging my memory on
occasion. To The Archers' editor Vanessa Whitburn for her
enthusiastic encouragement from the outset. To Lesley Wilson
for her cheerful expertise in guiding me through the difficult job
of editing, and last but not least to Jeremy Robson for amazingly
having faith in me. My deep gratitude to you all.