Rob Grace from Harrow very kindly got in touch with his photographs of his visit to Peter Gilder's wonderful holiday centre. Needless to say it was a massive Napoleonic battle with some of the thousands of figures Gilder had amassed.
Probably my favourite and most iconic of Gilder's many units, the Saxon cuirassiers. Whenever I get to go to the centre I always grab this unit, still a big child Im afraid.
Rob believed the visit was the 1980's when Peter Gilder had begun to show the signs of the illness which finally took him.
Excellent find, very evocative of my youth...
ReplyDeleteI will continue to keep Peter's memory alive.
DeleteAgreed! Wonderful photos. Thanks to all of the wonderful illustrations in Miniature Wargames and a bit later Wargames Illustrated, Gilder's units, scenery, and indeed entire approach continue to inform how I go about the hobby in 2021. All that even though I am on the wrong side of the pond and never managed to get to The Centre when Peter still ran things.
ReplyDeleteKind Regards,
Stokes
Thanks Stokes
DeleteMark Freeth who runs the Holiday Centre now does a great job. Ive been lucky enough to attend twice for the Featherstone weekend which I heartily recommend. Its where they remember the great man and have a guest speaker to talk about him. The games are real fun.
One of my fondest memories from the eighties is of an 1814 campaign week my friend Paul Trickett and I spent at the wargames holiday centre in Scarborough. I've a photo taken from that week of Peter standing outside "the shed" if you'd like me to forward you a scan of it, please just reply with how to get it to you.
ReplyDeleteI immediately recognised the name Paul Trickett, I can only assume you were the other half of the wonderfully creative duo who produced some beautiful games.
DeletePlease send me the image via robbie3rodiss@msn.com.