I have been bookbinding since 1972 when I started a trade apprenticeship with Warren & Sons Ltd, the Wykeham Press, in their bookbinding department in Winchester. Warren & Sons was a closed union shop, so whilst serving my apprenticeship the firm sent me on block release to college in Southampton where I obained my City & Guilds Basic and Advanced Craft cerficiates over the course of four years.

At the end of the fifth year, in 1977, I completed my apprenticeship and left Warren & Sons to set up my first bindery at Hildon, near Mottisfont, in Hampshire. The facilities were very basic, no electicity or water, and the location was extremely remote. In 1980 I moved to Winchester and took over the bindery at P & G Wells Ltd. At the time there was one 80 year old bookbinder working there one day a week, Mr Ted Bloomfield, who had worked there from the age of 14. He continued to work for me for the next three years, when he finally retired.

I am still there today doing a variety of work, from restoration to new binding. I also run bookbinding classes from the premises.

Pete grew up around bookbinding, sewing books in his fathers bindery from the age of 12. In 1998 having completed his A-Levels, Pete started a six year apprenticeship with his father, learning to case bind periodicals and other cloth work, progressing to re-backing in cloth, leatherwork, 'finishing', and eventually restoration.

Pete spent ten years with his father. During this period Pete also spent two years working part time for Richard Harshers Trade Bindery in Romsey, which proved valuble experience learning about production bookbinding and print finishing. Pete gained conservation experience working part time for a Romsey based conservator in 2001. Pete also gained related workshop experience restoring antique furniture with a Winchester based dealer and restorer.