Fr Peter was brought up in Surrey during the early post-second-world-war years. He worked his way through the Scouts and was presented the Queen’s Scout Award by the Duke of Gloucester at the age of 18. He went on to run the local Scout Group and also the Youth Club at his local church, The Holy Family, Sanderstead. On leaving St Joseph’s College, Beulah Hill at 18, he joined Phoenix Assurance as a trainee accountant. After two years he moved into St Augustine’s House, Walworth, a pre-seminary home where potential priests could continue in their job while deciding on their vocation.
After three years in the city, he joined St John’s Seminary, Wonersh, and was ordained a priest there on 22nd June 1974. He served in the parishes of Tolworth, Wandsworth, Canterbury, Croydon, the Kent Traveling Mission and Parkwood, Maidstone before spending a year at the Catholic Children’s Society. In December 1997 he succeeded Fr Christopher Pritchard as parish priest here at St Mary of the Crays, Crayford. After nearly seven years here, the Archbishop decided to move Fr Peter to Dover and appoint Fr John Ryan (from Dover) to succeed him here in Crayford.