Peter was born on the 28th November 1944. He was the third of five children born to Kathleen and Dennis Clark. Very cleverly he managed to arrive on his Mother’s 30th birthday. Mum maintained throughout her life that he was the best birthday present she ever received!
Mum decided to call him Roger but his older siblings, Brian and Maureen had other ideas. They both loved the story of Peter Pan so persuaded Dad to register his name as Peter. In due course Wendy and Michael arrived completing the Clark family. (Luckily Tinkerbell didn’t put in an appearance!)
Peter was the only one to inherit his Dad’s musical talent, Dad could play many instruments but he also liked to sing and play the spoons. All the spoons in our cutlery drawer were dented, Peter kept some of them as souvenirs.
In recent months Peter reminisced about the idyllic childhood we all enjoyed. There were trips out in our old Ford 10 with us kids singing our heads off in the back. What fun when it broke down and it was ‘everybody out’ to push! There were eagerly anticipated caravan holidays in the West Country, often with a visit to Aunt Win, Uncle Josh and family in Atherington, Devon
There were times when the carpets were rolled back for big family parties with piano playing, singing and dancing…’knees up Mother Brown’ was a big favourite. Happy times with Aunty Win, Uncle Fred, Terry and Brenda, Uncle Bill, Aunty Cis, Bill, Dave and Rosemary. Of course later parties involved jiving to gramophone records. Dad once put up signs saying ‘no jiving allowed’…that really got the joint rocking!
There were days spent at ‘Dorisdene’ in Laindon, that lovely old house, always full of friends and relations. In Peter’s own words; “for us ‘townies’ from Barking it seemed like a little paradise”
The strong bonds built between us in those childhood years have endured throughout our lives. We will always cherish our memories of happy times spent together.