Pete Melsom

We are delighted to feature Pete Melsom in our “Meet a Friend” column. If you’ve attended any of our events and meetings, contributed a precious items to The Lydiard Archives for photographing and scanning, or simply walked in the park on any given day, we’re sure you’ve witnessed Pete at his happiest – taking photos. Here’s his story:

‘It’s quite likely that a visit to Lydiard Park in 1964 played a large part in the development of my passion for photography – it was where I first got to use a ‘proper’ camera. I was nine years old, my older brother Ken owned a Lambretta scooter – he was a Mod rather than a Rocker, I was too young for the seaside battles that took place between the Mods & Rockers each bank holiday that year, but I loved riding on the back of the scooter and occasionally he would pick me up after school and we would zoom off into the countryside for an hour or so. Lydiard Park was always a favourite destination – it was a special place for me even in those days – fresh air, trees to climb, wide open spaces and soft grass for a kick-around, so different from my usual playground – the alleyway behind my home in the centre of Swindon, with the local gasworks as the backdrop.

On one particular occasion in 1964 my brother had borrowed my Mother’s new Kodak Instamatic camera, it was quite an innovation at the time and made the process of taking photos so simple. It was my Mother’s pride & joy, I wasn’t allowed to touch it, as she was well aware of my habit of taking things apart and not being able to put them back together again!

After parking the scooter we made our way to the front of the house where my brother took some photos, including one of me in my black duffel coat standing by the sundial, which in those days was at the front of the house (it’s now in the walled garden). After patiently posing for my photograph, I was desperate to have a go with the camera myself. Following lots of pleading and cajoling my brother eventually let me hold it, I was absolutely thrilled and blasted through the film in no time at all.

Back home my mother wasn’t too pleased that we had used the whole film – all twenty-four frames – film was quite expensive to buy, develop and print in those days. My brother thought it best not to mention that I’d had a go with the camera, it was only when my mother picked up the photos from Boots a couple of weeks later it became obvious that I’d had my grubby hands on it – the photos I’d taken of my brother were a dead giveaway!

Thankfully, all was forgiven and the following year, for my birthday, my mother & father gave me my very own Kodak Instamatic camera – to this day I think, the best birthday present I’ve ever had – it was the beginning of a life-long interest in photography. For me, a photograph is a window into the past, a moment frozen in time, a treasured memory brought back to life – the photograph of me standing by the sundial at Lydiard House ticks all those boxes.

Fast-forward 60 years, to 2024 – I’m now enjoying a highly active retirement following a career in Information Technology spanning 48 years with Burmah Castrol, BP, IBM & Nationwide. Given my love of photography, it was probably inevitable that I would find myself back at Lydiard Park, camera in my hand. These days however, I’m more likely to be found inside the house than standing by the sundial, busily taking photographs for The Friends of Lydiard Park. Photography is a labour of love, something I never tire of.’

Pete is a core part of the team helping to build The Lydiard Park Archives and has photographed hundreds of objects, photographs and documents associated with the St John family, the House, Park, St Mary’s Church, and Parish of Lydiard Tregoze. He and his wife Debra have also travelled to locations further afield to capture new material. You can read the story behind their discovery of the graves of Lydiard Park POWS at Cannock Chase in Staffordshire here:

The Lydiard Archives: POW Graves

See all Lydiard Friends