Gerry Hughes
BBC Local Radio
Gerry Hughes, a virgo, was born in St. Michael’s Close Lyneham in the mid 1950's and still has many fond memories of our village. Currently he is regularly broadcasting on BBC Radio Wiltshire, assisting the presenters and providing valuable local travel information. Initially, he joined Swindon Hospital Radio in 1974 where he created a soap called "Acrebury". He voiced all of the characters, many of which were inspired by local people that he had met in his first job at an agricultural company. It ran for eleven years. Gerry joined BBC Wiltshire Sound, as it was called then, in 1988. And was asked to resurrect his soap in 1994 where it ran for six years, and 1,558 episodes, gaining him a Guinness World Record. His ability to voice characterise 85 plus voices lead him to perform characters in tapes of short stories and radio drop-ins.

Longest Running One-Man Radio Soap Opera
’So you want me to write the theme tune, sing the theme tune?’.... actually more like create, write, produce, and perform. And for 16 years, from 1974, that’s exactly what Gerry Hughes did in the record breaking soap Acrebury.  Over 2,000 episodes,  following the ups and downs of life in the make-believe country village of Acrebury, were aired in a weekly serial on Swindon Hospital Radio.  And Gerry, the 'One Man Village' voiced all 150 characters. 

What are your memories of Lyneham?
I have many.  Particularly the erection of the landing lights in what was Mr. Beer’s field at the bottom of St. Michael’s Close, next to our house (number 9).  They were tall wooden posts in those days.  I also remember when Green Farm, opposite St. Michael’s Close, was a proper working farm with a farmhouse (which eventually burnt down). And when the roundabout on The Green was a triangular crossroads affair.  Also when the Chippenham bus, (Operated by Bristol Omnibus Swindon Depot) the 65, used to go via the Banks – Christian Malford and Sutton Benger.

When did you live here?
I was born at 9 St. Michael’s Close on the 6th September 1955.  We lived there until December 1965 when we moved to the newly-built school bungalow at Preston Lane.  Dad had been caretaker there since 1953 when the new junior school building was opened.  I moved from there when I bought my first house in Old Town in 1980.  I lived at Lancaster Square between 2001 and 2003 before moving to Devizes.  I’m back in Old Town again now.

What inspired you to local radio?
Fascination with my mother’s old Marconi 1951 radio (which I’ve still got and it still works!!!)  I used to love listening to Mrs. Dale’s Diary and The Archers and wanted to produce my own radio dramas like them!  (That’s how Acrebury came about and I started producing it on Swindon Hospital Radio.)  Later came GWR and then BBC Wiltshire Sound, where I’ve been now for 20 years!

What were your aspirations when living in Lyneham?
To be an actor and broadcaster and to put Lyneham into the limelight a bit more.  I wanted to write a novel based on the local area and I was determined to get Lyneham into the story somewhere.  I did end up doing Acrebury on the BBC and Lyneham did get mentioned in one or two episodes, so it sort of happened.

What do you like about broadcasting in Wiltshire?
I just love Wiltshire.  It’s my county and I think it’s almost unique – what with Salisbury Plain, the White Horses and plenty of ancient monuments.  I think it’s the sort of place that cries out for good Local radio Coverage!

How long have you been associated with Lyneham?
All my life.  My friend’s mother still lives in the village so I still get back to the old place regularly.

What amazing memories have you heard about Lyneham either from friends or previous villagers that stands out among the other memories.
My grandmother, Mrs Elizabeth Amore a dressmaker in the village, – for many years – had custody of the Village tollboard before she handed it back to the parish in the 1970s. Initial requests to Wiltshire County Council in September 1969, she asked for a suitable safe location for this village heritage item, but she refused the idea of locating it in the village hall, as the reputation at the time of the youth club members would possibly cause damage the toll board, her persistance ensured it was eventually located in a safer place. It’s now placed in the Library (Memorial Hall)  I remember her telling me what it was for and that the hairdresser’s on the corner of Preston Lane was – originally – the toll house.  Also about Lyneham Court Farm and the fact that it had a moat around it!

What are your hobbies, if you have time that is.
I like model-making and sketching.  And making radio documentaries.

Can you remember anything about the schools of Lyneham either former head teachers or staff.
My first teacher in the Infants and – co-incidentally – my first in the juniors was Mrs. Winnie Iles.  A charming Welsh Lady who’s husband Jack was also a junior teacher there.  The head was Ken Barker and the deputy head was Miss Parr, who went on to be head of the new infants from 1965.  I also remember Paul Buckeridge from the wine store family in Calne.  Miss Sullivan, Mr. O’Hare, Miss Conway and Colonel Bosanquet (retired) from Hilmarton.  When I started in 1960 at the age of five the only school was the brown-brick juniors which had infants at the front end and juniors at the back.  I also remember Miss Conway’s class built their very own full-sized Dalek (when they originally appeared on TV in 1963) and the whole school were invited to the assembly hall one afternoon to watch her class in a play called “The Magic Dalek”. And seeing my dad through the classroom windows pushing the dustbin trolley up the main drive to put them out on the side of the road for collection.

Gerry Rekindles school memories
Gerry Hughes, born in St Michael's Close Lyneham during September 1955, who is currently working for BBC Radio Swindon and BBC Radio Wiltshire, took the opportunity to revisit Lyneham Primary School, to rekindle fond memories of his childhood days when the infants school first opened. Gerry's father, was the first caretaker at Lyneham Infants School, when it opened on 6th September 1965 and was previously also at the Junior School as caretaker since 1953. Gerry remembers the early days of his school life, as if they were only yesterday. More..

We would like to pass on our personal thanks to Gerry Hughes and BBC Wiltshire for the images and correspondence.