Peter Baylis is from the Metropolitan suburb of Bexley. He left school and pursued his career in photography by starting in a processing lab. He learned his craft by taking as many photographs as possible and submitting them to photo editors and hope that they would use the image for a story.

During his career Peter has photographed the great and the good. His first interaction with a celebrity was as an assistant’s assistant was with Elton John. His most saleable image is of Eric Clapton and Pattie Boyd.

Peter worked with the Who both as a photographer and security, David Carradine was the most awkward subject and Keith Moon one of the best!

Peter took images of the then Prince Charles at Belmarsh Prison and the late Queen Mother who posed for him!

It was a regular visitor called Guy Robin (French Music Journalist) Who introduced him to an unknown band formed by Gordon Sumner, Stewart Copeland, and Henry Padovani – The Police were photographed, Padovani replaced by Andy Summers and the rest as they say is history. Peter toured with the band and went to the iconic CBGBs in New York.

Mel Brooks Pulled a “Goochie” at Peter in protest at the noise made by the camera, this image was captured and is iconic.

Making requests of appropriate authorities Peter was able to spend time with the Paras, On a submarine and flew as a passenger on an F1-11! Having a brass neck was the greatest asset that Peter has!

Pete Townsend and David Essex posed for Peter at the Cannes Film Festival. He snapped an image of David Cassidy as he left a theatre in Leicester Square.

He was invited by the producer of Shout at The Devil to photograph Lee Marvin and he went on to meet Roger Moore and Barbra Parkin

Peters career was placed in jeopardy when he was violently assaulted by 3 Sunderland fans. This caused Peter to lose sight for a period of time and impacted on him for 3 years.

During his time of treatment he became friends with Rodri Tasker Watkins , Son of Lord Tasker Watkins (Aberfan) https://www.theguardian.com/law/2011/feb/03/legal-hero-tasker-watkins

Peter spent time photographing with the Boston and NYPD he photographed the work carried out by the officers.

Peters role evolved in the Metropolitan Police from Volunteer to being employed.Having joined the Metropolitan Police in their media department as the official photographer he met the Late Queen having be requested by the Borough Commander to take photographs and he became the subject of the image.

His career concluded when Theresa May assisted in reducing the budget for UK Policing. 4k met employees lost their job.

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CALLING SERGEANT CROCKFORD: The Story of a Pioneering Policewoman in the 1960s will be published by Welbeck on 1 March 2024.

CALLING DETECTIVE CROCKFORD: The Story of a Pioneering Policewoman in the 1950s was published by Welbeck on 2 March 2023.

CALLING WPC CROCKFORD: The Story of a 1950s Policewoman was published by Welbeck on 3 March 2022.

In 1951, at the age of 21, Gwendoline Crockford joined the Berkshire Constabulary as a woman police constable. Ruth’s memoir of her mother, a pioneering female officer in the days before beat police even had radios, is set in a world of barely-remembered post-war austerity and a society on the brink of enormous change. Gwen’s colleagues are a colourful cast of characters, including her fellow WPC the fun-loving Pattie Baxter, fearsome WPS Miss Robertshaw, lechy PC Higgs, full-of-himself DI Dankworth, Barbadian nurse Suzette McDaniel with the newly formed NHS, and probation officer Hilda Bloom with the then-in-its-infancy social services. CALLING WPC CROCKFORD navigates both the cosiness of solving burglaries and chasing escaped circus animals with darker child protection themes, narrated with humour and a deliciously light touch.

Ruth D’Alessandro studied Modern Arabic at Durham University and worked in publishing before becoming a commercial copywriter.

@RuthDAlesWrites

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.