Local Face: Peter King
Peter King was born in Walton Street, Aylesbury above the butchers shop where his father worked for many years. When the owner died, Mr. King senior took over the business but kept the original name P .S. Tilbury and in time his sons, Peter and Colin, joined him at the chopping block.
In the early ’60’s Friars Square had its infamous redevelopment and the old butcher’s shop was swept away with all the others. The County Library took its place. In due time P .S. Tilbury reappeared in the concrete Friars Square and the enterprising brothers started to branch out further afield.
In 1981 Peter King bought the butchers shop near the Windmill in Aylesbury Road, Wendover. At that time the Co-op was still flourishing at the corner of Chiltern Road, Green Pets sold fruit and vegetables not far away and Woodside Bakery was still in operation. When Green Pets closed many of Peter’s customers were worried about walking into Wendover to pick up their fresh greengrocery and so he incorporated this into his business.
Before long it became clear that the whole Aylesbury Road shopping area was changing. The Co-op became flats, and the bakery finally closed. Food shopping was becoming centralised so in May 1989 P .S. Tilbury Ltd moved to its present comer site at the comer of the High Street and Library entrance.
The Aylesbury Road shop became a sandwich bar but has happily served the Wendover Community as the TocH Charity Shop since Autumn 1992.
The traditions of the family butcher have always been maintained. Peter has developed his father’s sausage recipe using only the best quality meat and secret spice mix which has been satisfying the palates of Aylesbury and Wendover for over 20 years now. There is nothing to beat his own made beefburgers and he was selling summer-time barbecue grill sticks in the High Street a long time before they were ever made on TV. To ring the changes he also stocks venison sausages! Reflecting our rural surroundings, Wendover Rabbit is also available. First class meat is the staple diet.
A highly trained butcher, like Peter, should always be able to supply your special cut of meat. If it is not on display, do ask and either he or Mark will be only too delighted to oblige. The other service that butchers have always given is advice on recipes, quantities, and preparation of their meats, invaluable to the new cook, or those with special dietary requirements. An additional service to customers is the all year round savings club. This means that the customer can plan for special events, when extra meat is needed, not only Christmas.
When Jerome’s closed last year many villagers wondered where they could buy fresh fruit and vegetables. With a sense of deja-vu Peter trundled some of Jerome’s display units to his shop and the produce is there for all to see. Each year Aylesbury Vale is happy to award its Clean Food symbol and in 1994 Peter was the recipient of a Highly Commended Award. Congratulations, Peter, and thank you for 14 happy years serving the people of Wendover.