Swindon Independent Film Festival proudly screened When I Was A Girl at the 2023 film festival – it’s first public screening in 30 years. Made by, now critically-acclaimed, film director, David Yates, the short film follows the story of a young-girl, Anne, growing up in post-war Swindon.

The actor who played the father in the short film, Peter Woollaston, was a friend of the manager of The Glue Pot pub, located in Swindon’s Emlyn Square, Mark Hepplewhite.

Mark has wrote a recollection of memories he shared with Peter, following the screening of When I Was A Girl. Take a read of Mark’s memoir below:

I first met Peter in 1986, when we were acting in the musical
Annie. This played at the Wyvern Theatre, Swindon in July 1986,
and it had the largest takings for any show put on at the Wyvern
Theatre, at that time.

We got to know each during rehearsals for the show, that took place over some 3 months or so. We used to socialise together, and I came to know him as quite an accomplished actor in amateur dramatics at that time.

He was born in the Midlands on 5th September, 1944. He then served in the RAF for a number of years, and I believe he had been stationed in Singapore & Malaysia. This is where his love of acting began, as he played in productions during his service years.

I believe he had been married at one time, then he moved to
Swindon. In 1986, his full time job was with BT. He was always a
very smartly dressed man, and was proud to work for a reputable
company – at that time anyway.

We reconnected years later, in the early 1990s, when he took a
job with Nationwide Building Society, which is where I worked at the time. We used to socialise on occasion, and I remember he was very fond of breaking out into song, after a few drinks. His old RAF songs he would say.

He was very amusing company, and liked to put on accents, and had a good collection of stories.

I believe at that time, 30 years ago, he was a leading light in the
Old Town Theatre Company, and appeared in quite a few
productions.

I remember how excited he was to appear in the 1988 film, ‘When
I Was A Girl’, and watching the short film all these years later is quite moving, as that’s how I recall Peter when I first met him.

I don’t know of his whereabouts now, he may well have passed
away. However, I feel it’s important to give him some sort of tribute, as he was a man I very much enjoyed knowing, and he was undoubtedly passionate about the theatre and film.

I hope people enjoy his work in ‘When I Was a Girl’, and raise a
glass to a good man.

Mark Hepplewhite.