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Pat Archer

Always ready with a kindly-meant word and a hearty stew, Pat is a hard-working farmer and a protective mother and grandmother.

Fact title Fact data
Played by:
Patricia Gallimore
Born:
10 January 1952
Status:
Occupation:
Farmer / dairy entrepreneur
Lives at:
Bridge Farm

Firebrand Welsh feminist Pat shook up Ambridge when she married Tony in 1974, finding time to play football and attend CND rallies as well as bringing up her children , and Tom.

Pat’s drive was behind n and expansion into yoghurt and ice cream. But in 1998 plunged her into depression. Discovering John had fathered a son, , and bringing him to Bridge Farm in 2014, has been a great joy.

Pat has faced many crises, including an in the dairy and . But her biggest regret is not trusting her instincts about , and inadvertently becoming a prosecution witness at Helen’s trial. Now Helen, and are safe, Pat is determined to make up for lost time.

Family

More about Pat

Anyone for more soup?
Pat Archer
  • Likes: Developing new ice cream flavours; playing with her grandchildren
  • Dislikes: Health and Safety inspectors;
  • Highs: Finding Johnny;
  • Lows: ;

Key relationships

Patricia Gallimore's thoughts on Pat

Hard working, long- suffering, loyal; sometimes bossy!

Patricia Gallimore

Patricia Gallimore won the Carleton Hobbs award in 1965 from the Birmingham School of Speech and Drama, and her career began with a six month contract with the ±«Óătv Radio Drama Company.

She remained in London for the following eight years, working mainly in radio. She played leading roles in many classic serials and plays for ±«Óătv Radio, and did another two year contract with the ±«Óătv Radio Drama Company. She was also a regular character in Radio 2’s Waggoner’s Walk.

In 1973 she married Charles Gardner, a lawyer based in Birmingham, and returned to the Midlands to live in Warwickshire.

In 1974 she joined the cast of The Archers and later the same year Pat Lewis became Mrs Tony Archer.

As well as The Archers she continued to work regularly in radio and other audio work, with occasional TV appearances. In the early 90s she began recording audio books for several different companies and has now notched up over 200 unabridged audio books.

She has two grown up children, Tom born in 1977, and Harriet born in 1982. They both live in London. Tom’s daughter Ella was born in August 2009, and Pat became a besotted first-time granny.

Archers highlights

Pat and Tony converting Bridge Farm to organics. It led to my going to many events and getting to know real life organic farmers and producers, many of whom have remained good friends.

It also led in 2000 to my book Patricia Gallimore’s Organic Year. The research included visits to both Highgrove and HRH The Prince of Wales’s Duchy ±«Óătv Farm, as well as many other beautiful farms and gardens throughout the UK.

Other career highlights

Getting asked to record my first audio book was a big turning point. I love the variety and scope an actor gets with the many and varied titles we are asked to record. In 2008 I won an Earphones Excellence award for recording Queen Camilla by Sue Townsend.

My first audio book was a big turning point
Patricia Gallimore

Favourite radio roles have included Fleur in The Forsyte Saga and Flora in Cold Comfort Farm.

Favourite

  • Actor - Judi Dench. She’s just astonishingly good.
  • Book - Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. I can re-read it and always recapture its magic.
  • Film - Gone with the Wind. Four hours of absolute escapist indulgence and romance.