Sylvia Peters

The impeccably-spoken Sylvia Peters, a lady synonymous with 1950s television in Britain, was born in Highgate, London, on 26th September, 1925, to an Italian clock-maker Romelo Petronzo, and his English wife Ethel, who arranged for the young Sylvia to have ballet lessons. Trained as an actress she joined the BBC in 1947 and in 1953 was one of the principal announcers for Elizabeth ll's coronation, later assisting the queen with her Christmas broadcasts. Whilst working at the BBC she met her husband Kenneth Milne-Buckley and, in addition to working as a continuity announcer, she also presented shows such as 'Come Dancing' and 'Jim's In' as well as the occasional acting role, particularly in BBC TV pantomimes. In 1963 she opened a clothes shop in Wimbledon, aimed at the youth market, and its success led to her retiring from television in the late 1960s to concentrate on its running. She died on July 26th 2016, leaving a daughter and two step-children.