Named James Peter, but known as Peter, he was born in Islington in 1937.  Victor was added at a later date as a nod to his godmother “Tee” (Lucy Victoria) who he was very fond of.  His mother, Winifred, came down from London to work at Zachary Merton in Rustington when Peter was still a baby and he had many happy memories of being there - he even won a beautiful baby competition!  
 
His early childhood was spent at several addresses in Rustington and his godmother “Tee” played a significant role - she co-ordinated the work of the Land Army girls at Barns Green Farm, Horsham, during WWII and Peter spent many happy school holidays there.  He had a vivid memory of his mother, Winifred, taking him out to watch the Dakotas pulling gliders over Rustington on their way to mainland Europe during the war and he had plenty of other fascinating war memories too!
 
For his 12th birthday his mother gave him an autograph book which contained a wellknown celebrity of the time. This sparked an interest which sent him far and wide throughout his lifetime collecting autographs of famous people. 
 
When Peter was 15 he became a “Trenchard Brat” enrolling at RAF Halton as an engineering apprentice for 3 years before serving in the RAF for a further 12 years and spending time in the Far East and Germany. As part of this he served in the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation as an Engineer of the 66 squadron which flew troops back and forth to the front line in Bristol Belvedere twin rotor helicopters. 
 
During his time in the RAF he bought the first of three 1948 Mark V Jaguars. The first he wrote off, the second he was forced to sell when he was stationed abroad and the third, which he bought in the 60’s from a swiss businessman, he owned and maintained until his death.  It was entered into numerous car shows, appeared in TV programmes such as Granchester and was even known to carry rubbish to the tip!
 
Whilst based at RAF Wildenrath he joined the motor club where he used to race and even won an event for which he received a trophy and a huge victor’s garland. He took part in all the major races at Zandvort, Spa and Nurburgring. At Detmold he even raced against the Duke of Kent!!
 
After leaving the RAF, and time at Warwick University, Peter taught at the Littlehampton School for a year before joining Lanfranc School in Croydon where he became Deputy Head of Mathematics.  He stayed at Lanfranc for nearly 30 years and was always keen to share his enthusiasm for mathematics and the role it could play in students futures.
 
When he retired from teaching Peter began a career that lasted 20 years and took him back to his first passion, his true heart’s desire - acting.  “You don’t just give up, do you”, he said.  As a long time member of Littlehampton Amateur Dramatic Society (The LADS) where he starred in and directed many shows, he responded to a request for local amateurs to take part in the film, The Tenth Kingdom, which was being shot locally.  This led to various contacts at casting agencies and a career as a supporting artist that spanned films, tv programmes and adverts.  There is also a model in the Austrian Madame Tussaud’s of President Heinz Fischer that is actually modelled on Peters body as he was used as a stand in!
 
Peter had a true vigour for life and wanted to make every moment count which he did with a smile on his face and with absolute dedication.  He had a full, rich and varied life, full of humour, wit and memories.  Please join us in celebrating his life.