Bembridge School - Bas & Miles 1964

friends

There’s something quietly remarkable about friendships that endure across decades. I recently sat down with my old school friend Bas—now living in Sydney—for a conversation that spanned forty years yet felt like no time had passed at all.

We found ourselves transported back to Bembridge School on the Isle of Wight, where we spent our formative years in the late ’70s and early ’80s. Boarding school life then had a curious blend of austerity and enchantment—freezing dormitories with ice on the inside of the windows, the five "houses", and house ties that marked your allegiance. It was, in hindsight, a kind of Hogwarts before Rowling imagined hers.

Our chat meandered through the odd rituals that shaped us: nicknames so entrenched that real names were practically forgotten, the infamous “Island Walk”—a 30-mile overnight trek through darkness—and ghost stories that haunted us in the best possible way. These shared rites stitched us together, forging bonds that have somehow survived time and geography.

Music was a lifeline. Bas credits ABBA with getting him through boarding school, while I remember The Jam as the soundtrack to our adolescence. Those songs weren’t just background—they were emotional anchors.

What struck me most was our shared sense of what Bembridge gave us. “It taught you respect,” Bas said, and I agreed. Independence, resilience, and a kind of emotional literacy that’s hard to quantify but easy to recognise. Though the school itself now stands empty, its legacy lives on in us.

This conversation wasn’t just nostalgic—it was affirming. Proof that the past isn’t lost, just waiting to be revisited with someone who remembers it too.

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"In a world where you can be anything, be kind."

Bill McGuffie - Moray 1957

father/son

What happens when musical brilliance collides with the complexities of fatherhood? In this episode, I speak with Moray McGuffie about his father Bill—a Scottish piano prodigy whose life was as dazzling as it was difficult.

Bill’s story begins with a jaw-dropping moment: stepping in at age twelve to play with a professional band, sight unseen. Despite losing a finger to gangrene, he became one of the world’s top jazz pianists, composing for film and television—including Doctor Who with Peter Cushing—and performing alongside icons like Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. Their home was a revolving door of celebrities, from June Whitfield to Monty Python regulars.

But behind the glamour was a more tangled reality. Moray opens up about his father’s struggles with alcohol, erratic behaviour, and the decade-long estrangement that preceded Bill’s death in 1987. It’s a story laced with tenderness: music scribbled on cigarette packets, a trombone bought to nurture his son’s talent, and the enduring advice—“Be yourself.”

This conversation is a reminder that even flawed relationships leave lasting imprints. Moray’s words—“If anyone’s listening, sort it out if you can, because it hurts”—echo with quiet urgency. His reflections will resonate with anyone who’s navigated complicated family dynamics or longed for just five more minutes with someone they’ve lost.

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"In a world where you can be anything, be kind."

George Palmer - John 1966

father/son

Every family has its storytellers—the keepers of memories that might otherwise slip away. In this conversation, recorded on the sun-drenched Mediterranean coast of Spain, I spoke with my brother-in-law who, John, without even realising it, had found himself living out his father George’s dream.

Early on, a quiet revelation set the tone: “I just found out from my sister that I’m probably living his dream.” From there, the conversation unfolded gently, full of memories—family holidays to Cornwall where his dad hand-sewed wetsuits, an old air raid shelter reimagined as a music-filled bedroom, and the comfort his father George, found in the sound of a distant motorway, which reminded him of the sea.

A vivid portrait emerged of a man driven by creativity and curiosity. He once hang-glided off cliffs, built tennis ball machines before they were mainstream, developed photos in makeshift darkrooms, and turned everyday materials into tools of adventure. Through his son’s John’s recollections, we glimpsed a spirit who valued ingenuity as much as imagination—and passed down a musical legacy stretching from Johnny Cash to alternative country.

What would he make of smartphones and AI? John & I both believed he’d have embraced the possibilities, while staying true to his love for authentic sounds and hands-on crafting. That reflection led to a quietly profound moment: “The sad thing about life is that when people are no longer there, everything they ever thought or believed disappears too.”

And yet, by sharing stories like these, something vital is kept alive—not just memory, but meaning. As I sat there listening, I couldn’t help but wonder: what stories of your loved ones deserve to be remembered?

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"In a world where you can be anything, be kind."

Gary Booth - Karl 1963

brothers

What happens when a curious boy from Manchester decides the conventional path isn’t for him? In this episode, I speak with Karl about his brother, Gary—a man who, at 21, walked away from Thatcher’s Britain with just £150 and a self-taught smattering of French. That leap launched a 35-year adventure spanning continents, languages, and brushes with death, transforming him into a near-mythic figure among Namibia’s Himba people.

Karl gives his account and a glimpse of how Gary, growing up in a typical Lancashire working-class family, and stifled by a comprehensive school education system decided to break free from the “rat race” as a young 21yr old and embark on a lifetime adventurer that Hollywood could only dream about.

After leaving home in the early ’80s, he vanished for 15 years, working across Europe before making a perilous journey across the Sahara, through war-torn regions, and finally into Namibia’s vast wilderness.

Gary’s extraordinary letters home—often 50 pages long—document his life tracking endangered rhinos, surviving lion attacks, and earning the tribal name “N’garikatuki”, the man of the mountains. Perhaps most astonishing was his decision to buy a yacht despite minimal sailing experience and navigate solo across the Pacific, enduring hurricanes while relying on Karl for weather updates via satellite texts.

Today, Gary runs his own safari company, guiding small groups to Namibia’s hidden corners. His knowledge even caught the attention of filmmaker Eric Valli, who based a film on his experiences. This episode explores not just Gary’s remarkable life but the bigger questions about conventional paths, courage, and what happens when curiosity leads the way.

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"In a world where you can be anything, be kind."

Christine Miles - Brenda 1939

best friends

What makes a friendship last for over five decades? In this heartwarming conversation, I sit down with Brenda—once known to me as "Auntie Brenda"—to explore the remarkable 50-year friendship between her and my aunt Chrissie.

Their journey began in 1967 at Queen Charlotte's Hospital in London, where the two women worked as midwives, sharing accommodations and forming bonds that would withstand the test of time. Brenda recounts their early adventures with infectious joy, from misadventures in Chrissie's grey Austin A40 van to joining the Twickenham Ladies League of Health and Beauty (complete with mandatory navy shorts).

Our conversation takes us through their evolution from young professionals navigating 1960s London to seasoned travellers exploring France, Italy, and Egypt. Their stories are filled with charming details—finding £600 hidden around Chrissie's parents' house to fund a Cornwall holiday, transporting elderly relatives to a French wedding, and sailing down the Nile where the landscape resembled "the days of the Bible."

Beyond the adventures, we discover the secret ingredients to their enduring friendship. As Brenda reflects, "You don't live on top of each other... you don't get fed up with each other." Their connection survived career changes, geographic distance, and the passage of time because they created space for meaningful reunions and genuine support.

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"In a world where you can be anything, be kind."

Thomas & Helen Part II - Toni 1938

parents/daughter

While talking with my mother, I explored my family's experiences, particularly focusing on my grandparents' move from London to the Isle of Wight. I discussed how they adapted during World War II and their journey from working-class backgrounds to owning and operating a guesthouse business. My analysis offers insights into family dynamics, the challenges faced during wartime, the evolution of the local hospitality industry, and the broader social context of that era.

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"In a world where you can be anything, be kind."

Thomas & Helen Part I - Chrissie 1936

parents/daughter

When my Aunt Chrissie was born prematurely, a doctor's warning about London's pollution prompted Thomas and Helen Miles (my grandparents) to make a significant move to the Isle of Wight—a decision that profoundly shaped their family's story. Sitting in Chrissie's cosy Steyning cottage, we chat about everything from wartime beach barricades to life on the Isle of Wight, where her parents welcomed holidaymakers from the Potteries. Through stories of family hustle, resilience, and a love that endured through the years, I hope our conversation offers a warm, nostalgic glimpse into a time when life seemed much simpler yet full of meaning.

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"In a world where you can be anything, be kind."

“Longtime Ago People” is a podcast I’ve been thinking about for a while now. My family memories inspire it, and I wanted to share those cherished, funny, and inspirational stories we all have, especially those involving our grandparents, parents, friends, and other exceptional individuals.

Launching this podcast has been fascinating, and I’m learning a lot along the way. Preparing for the first episode, which features my Aunt Chrissie, has been an exciting part of this journey into podcasting. It’s a world I’m just beginning to explore, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me and what stories can be told. Thank you

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"In a world where you can be anything, be kind."