Peel with his grandson Archie in April 2004
Archie Ravenscroft (born 24 September 2003) was Peel's only grandchild and son of his eldest daughter Alexandra and her partner Ashley. The day after Archie was born, Peel asked listeners on his 25 September 2003 show to suggest songs that featured the name 'Archie' which he could play. In the end, the only one Peel thought suitable, or actually possessed to be able to play on the show was Tapper Zukie's "Archie, The Red Nose Reindeer". Archie made his radio debut on Peel's show on 23 October 2003, when he awoke from sleep and started crying. On this historic occasion, Sheila mentioned to John that his voice was sending Archie to sleep, to which Peel replied, "Is it... OK the music can't be sending him to sleep, that would be insulting". On later shows, Peel would often mention Archie's name and what he did, which was usually to cry in his grandad's presence.
Mentioned In Shows[]
John Peel's Grandson
Archie's radio debut on Peel's 23 October 2003 show
- 2003
- 24 September 2003: JP: "Well good evening pals. At 8:21 this morning Archie Ravenscroft was born. This is for him and Danda and Ashley, his parents." Beatbox Saboteurs: It's A Long Way (LP - The Hour Of Enchantment) JP: "But will he play for Liverpool or QPR? That's the problem."
- 25 September 2003: Peel asks listeners to submit details of records with the name "Archie" in them.
- 23 October 2003: Peel's baby grandson Archie makes his radio debut (see above).
- 05 November 2003: Peel says he had been pressed into babysitting Archie on the morning of the previous day. It was not a success. "He cried continuously from the moment I took him in hand and didn't stop until I surrendered him again."
- 13 November 2003: Peel: "You might occasionally hear a bit of shrieking in the background. That's our Archie, I'm afraid, who's in the kitchen and not in a very good mood."
- 09 December 2003: After playing "El Camino" by Young Heart Attack: JP: "I wish I'd got a voice like that. Well, I wish I'd got a voice at all. Whenever I try to sing 'Lonesome Fugitive' to my grandson Archie, he just cries. And who can blame him for that."
- 25 December 2003: After playing "Maps" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs: JP: "While that was on I walked to the other end of the house to try and persuade our grandson Archie, whose first Christmas this is, to come and speak to the nation. But he wasn't having any of it and who can blame him for that."
- 2004
- 28 January 2004: "And the other day our grandson Archie was around at our house and his mum, Danda, was singing to him to try and get him to go to sleep, and I said to her, "Danda, did I ever used to sing to you when you were a child", and she said "Only 'Lonesome Fugitive', Dad"." After the heart-warming intro Peel then plays his old favourite by Roy Buchanan - at the wrong speed.
- 08 April 2004: JP: "While that was going on [EZ T], I was doing a bit of babysitting, I want you to know. My grandson Archie. I sat him on my knee and bounced him up and down and he started crying. Well, wouldn't you?"
- 04 August 2004: JP: "The other day I was, well the Pig and I were babysitting for our grandson Archie and he crawled into my room and crawled over to a box of records that were unheard, demos and stuff like this and he took one of them out and started contentedly chewing it, and because his dad has excellent judgement in music and I like to think his grandfather does too, to a point. We thought, well if Archie's chosen it, it must be worth playing." Soundhack: Untitled (12" - Soundhack #1) White Label
- 09 September 2004: It's party night at Peel Acres, although not for working man Peel, as it is the birthday of Ashley, father of Archie.
- 14 September 2004: A track in the programme was Archie's choice. He reportedly crawled over to the boxes of unheard records and pulled it out.
- 23 September 2004: JP: "Time now for the Pig's Big 78 but Shelia has actually gone to bed so tonight Flossie is standing in, so it's Flossie's Big 78... this is for our grandson Archie who is one tomorrow." Kitty Masters & Orchestra: Many Happy Returns of The Day (Flossie's Big 78) Regal