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June Spencer

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June Spencer
CBE
Spencer in 2009
Born
June Rosalind Spencer

(1919-06-14)14 June 1919
Nottingham, England
Died8 November 2024(2024-11-08) (aged 105)
Leatherhead, Surrey, England
OccupationActress
Years active1943[1]–2022[2]
Known forThe Archers (1950–1953, 1956–1958 and 1961–2022)
Spouse
Roger Brocksom
​
​
(m. 1942; died 2001)​
[3][4]
Children2

June Rosalind Spencer, CBE (14 June 1919 – 8 November 2024) was an English actress best known for her long-running role as Peggy Woolley in the BBC Radio 4 soap opera The Archers. Spencer played the character from 1950 to 1953, and again from 1962 to 2022.[5]

Early life and education

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The only child of William Spencer, a commercial traveller, and Rosalind Thorne, Spencer was born in Sherwood, Nottingham, and had her first acting role at the age of 3. She attended Mountford House preparatory school and Nottingham Girls' High School, which she left at the age of 15 to look after her mother. After joining an amateur dramatic society,[6] she earned a London Guildhall School of Music and Drama certificate. She also studied at Stockwin Music College from the age of 12.[5]

Career

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Spencer's initial work as a governess at a private school helped fund drama lessons, which led to appearances at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham. She also wrote monologues for after-dinner entertainment, as well as satirical material for radio programmes. During the Second World War she worked in the Nottingham City treasurer's office before joining a theatre company and, later BBC Radio, appearing on programmes such as Children's Hour and Dick Barton: Special Agent before The Archers began in 1950.[5]

In The Archers she played the role of Peggy Woolley (née Perkins, formerly Archer) for a period spanning over 70 years, beginning with the pilot episode in 1950, and ending on 31 July 2022.[7] In 1953, she left the cast to look after her family, and the role of Peggy was taken over by Thelma Rogers.[8][9]

Spencer later twice returned to the series to play another character, Rita Flynn, firstly from 1956 to 1958 and again from 1961. In 1962, Rogers left The Archers to return to the stage, and Spencer returned to the role of Peggy.[10][8][9] She also appeared on television on Songs of Praise and in the drama Doctors.[11] Her retirement from The Archers, at the age of 103, was announced by the BBC on 8 August 2022.[2] Her former co-star Graham Seed commended her for her "remarkable strength and resilience".[12]

Personal life

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In 1942 Spencer married Roger Brocksom, whom she had met on holiday when they were both aged 17. They adopted two children: a son, David, and a daughter, Ros.[5][13]

Spencer was the guest on Desert Island Discs on 28 February 2010. Her chosen music included the Hallelujah Chorus and Fred Astaire's "Let’s Face the Music and Dance", with her favourite being John Williams playing Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez; her chosen book was Three Men in a Boat, and her luxury a Scrabble board.[14] Spencer spoke of the long-running Archers storyline of Jack Woolley, her character's husband, suffering from Alzheimer's disease, and of her real-life husband of 59 years, who had died from the disease in 2001.[15]

In 2010, she published her autobiography, The Road to Ambridge: My Life, Peggy and the Archers (ISBN 978-1907532252).

Spencer turned 100 on 14 June 2019[16][17] and died on 8 November 2024, at the age of 105.[18]

Honours

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On 12 July 2012, Spencer was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Nottingham as a Doctor of Letters for her services to broadcasting.[19] She was given a Lifetime Achievement award at the 2014 BBC Audio Drama Awards.[20] She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1991,[21] and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to drama and charity.[22]

Publications

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References

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  1. ^ "BBC Radio 4 – The Archers – Peggy Woolley". bbc.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b "June Spencer: Last original Archers cast member to retire". BBC News. 8 August 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  3. ^ Spencer, June, The Road to Ambridge: My Life, Peggy and The Archers
  4. ^ Greenfield, Patrick (6 February 2018). "Give us credits, actor June Spencer urges The Archers". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d The Guardian, "June Spencer obituary", 8 November 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  6. ^ Whitfield, David (11 June 2019). "June Spencer – better known as Peggy Archer – on growing up in Nottingham". Nottingham Post. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  7. ^ Clinton, Jane (8 August 2022). "The Archers' actor June Spencer, 103, retires after more than 70 years". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  8. ^ a b Painting, Norman (20 January 2000). "Thelma Rogers". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  9. ^ a b Ratcliffe, Hannah (16 June 2017). "June Spencer receives second honour from Queen". BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  10. ^ "BBC Programme Index". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  11. ^ "June Spencer, actress who played the Ambridge matriarch Peggy in The Archers for 70 years". The Telegraph. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  12. ^ Seed, Graham (9 August 2022). "I was on The Archers with June Spencer. She didn't have to leave – she is only 103". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  13. ^ Shennan, Rhona (8 August 2022). "June Spencer: is The Archers star retiring, how long has she been Peggy – does she have children?". nationalworld.com. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  14. ^ "Desert Island Discs: June Spencer". BBC Radio 4. 28 February 2010. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  15. ^ Duggins, Alexi (8 November 2024). "June Spencer, longtime star of The Archers, dies at 105". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  16. ^ Armitstead, Claire (12 June 2019). "The Archers' June Spencer on turning 100: 'If I close my eyes I can be any age'". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  17. ^ "Longest serving UK radio actor retires from The Archers aged 103". www.careuk.com. Care UK. 9 August 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  18. ^ Bushby, Helen (8 November 2024). "The Archers radio star June Spencer dies aged 105". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  19. ^ "June Spencer: The Archers star dies, aged 105". The Independent. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  20. ^ Hemley, Matthew (26 January 2014). "Archers actor June Spencer presented lifetime achievement prize at audio drama awards". The Stage. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  21. ^ "No. 52563". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 June 1991. p. 11.
  22. ^ "No. 61962". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 June 2017. p. B9.
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