Jacky Scott, The Stables, Wavendon

Born in Brixton post-war, Jacky remembers freedom to go out and play on bombsites, also her large Irish family parties where her father played piano. He was a craft baker and became production manager of the largest factory bakery in England – Nevill’s, in Acton and the family moved to one of the very first management social houses in Boreham Wood, a four-bedroomed house with a garden. She learned the piano at home, but was ‘rescued by skiffle …suddenly it was very easy for everybody to be able to play’. A cousin bought her a guitar and she formed a group; she remembers organising a school dance at Cedars Grammar School Leighton Buzzard in the 60s, booking three bands and hot dog stands. She marketed the dance heavily and it was a great success. In 1958, her father bought his own business (George Ort’s), in Leighton Buzzard. But Jacky wanted to be a journalist, and had a short career in London with a couple of magazines until they went bust. So she returned home to help her father open a new shop, staying with him as he opened six more shops and becoming the manager. She says: ‘I loved it; I loved the speed of it: uniquely, what we were making had to be made, distributed and sold, all in one day’. Jacky also got involved with the local Chamber of Trade and Commerce and became its Chair. At the same time (aged about 22-23) she was taking classical guitar lessons, working through the grades and entering (and winning) festivals.