I was delighted to see Pon My Puff: A Childhood in 1920s Isle of Wight, my late father Peter Stark Lansley’s memoir, featured in the Island Echo. This little book has had quite a journey. Written in the 1950s, the manuscript was tucked away in an old trunk for decades until I rediscovered it in 2013. It was first published in 2021 by Beachy Books but sadly went out of print when the publisher closed. Wanting to keep my father’s story alive, I searched for a new home for the book, and I am so pleased that Austin Macauley has now brought it back into print. 

Pon My Puff paints a vivid picture of my father’s childhood on the Isle of Wight a century ago. It shares his playful adventures along Wootton Creek, the warmth of life with his grandparents, and the simple but meaningful rhythms of village life in a world without modern conveniences. It is at once a personal memoir and a glimpse into local history. 

Although my father went on to live a remarkable life at sea and later in aviation, it is these tender memories of his childhood that stand at the heart of his writing. I am grateful that this memoir has found new life, and I hope readers will enjoy the charm, humour, and nostalgia within its pages as much as I do.