Peter Cushing Lives In Whitstable by The Jellybottys.
by
The Jellybottys were a Whitstable band dating from the 80s. They played their first gig at what was then the Labour Club, under the arches on Belmont Road, in 1987. They consisted of (see right, from top to bottom): Louis Court on bass, Eric Fisher on drums, and Derek (Deek) McNeill on guitar and vocals. Deek also wrote most of the songs.
Whitstable people will know Louis and Eric as two local Shellbacks, born and bred in the town, but Deek hails from Scotland originally and moved back there many years ago. The Jellybottys, however, continue to exist, as a sort of weird, ghostly internet phenomenon haunting the digital landscape.
Their most famous song is Peter Cushing Lives In Whitstable. It was an instant hit with the audience when it was first played, bringing everybody immediately to the dance floor, and it has continued to tickle people’s imagination ever since.
It refers to the time, prior to 1994, when Peter Cushing did actually live in Whitstable. He was a marked presence in the town, unfailingly polite, often seen riding his bike, or going to the shops to buy his groceries, as the song reflects.
Here are the lyrics:
Peter Cushing lives in Whitstable,
He goes shopping on his bicycle,
You can see him buying vegetables,
Peter Cushing lives in Whitstable
Wha-ha! What-ha-ha! Wha-ha! Wha-ha-ha!
The song came about during a jam session in Deek’s house. Someone started playing the riff and they all joined in. For some reason Deek’s nickname was Captain Scarlet at the time and the song bears a passing resemblance to the theme tune. The first lyrics were: “Captain Scarlet lives in Whitstable.” It was Eric who suggested the change. “No, it should be, Peter Cushing lives in Whitstable.” After that they worked the song up into the inspiring masterpiece we know today.
Well obviously that might have been it, a short lived pop phenomenon of the late 80s, consigned to the dustbin of history, had not Alan Davies mentioned it on the telly. He played his first gig at the Whistable Labour Club. He must have been there when the Jellybottys aired their song. Years later, on an episode of QI with Stephen Fry, he mentioned it.
This is what he said:
“Peter Cushing lived in Whitstable when I lived in Whitstable. And a local band had a song about him….” And he chanted the lyrics in a monotone. Fry was much taken with it. “What a great song,” he said. “You see this is the first rule of pop music, write about what you know, what you see out of the window.”
QI did their own version, but it was nowhere near as good. So Deek contacted them with the original, which was then showcased on their website. It has had a continual presence on the internet ever since. Deek has also revived a number of other long lost Jellybotty songs, which you can find here: jellybottys.com.
Stornoway
As a sort of coda to this: years after the breakup of the band, but before the QI episode, I took a journey up to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis. It is in the North West corner of the British Isles, about as far from safe and sleepy Whitstable as you can get without falling into the Atlantic ocean. I was in a pub, and someone asked where I came from.
“Whitstable,” I said.
The reaction was immediate: “Peter Cushing lives in Whitstable,” they sang, repeating the lyrics word for word. Apparently Deek and the boys had been there for a wedding not long before and had performed the song. It had become a hit in Stornoway too, which just goes to show: you can’t keep a good tune down.
The Jellybottys will be taking part in this year’s carnival. Look out for them on the procession.
On the day…
The 128th anniversary CARNIVAL takes place on Saturday 2nd August 2025. Assemble along Pier Avenue and Northwood Road from 3-3.30pm.
HQ for the day will be at 15 Pier Avenue, in a gazebo in the garden.
LATE ENTRIES are accepted on the day till 4.00pm, but it will help to register early with the entry form in the program or on the website: https://whitstablecarnival.co.uk. Sign in at HQ and then find your place in the procession.
JUDGING starts at 4.15 prompt. All entries must be in position by 4.00.
CARNIVAL ENTRIES: please approach along Northwood Road from its junction with Tower Parade/Tankerton Road (where the laundrette is).
COLLECTING TINS and collecting buckets will be available from HQ.
THE PROCESSION starts at 5.30, passing Tankerton Circus at 5.40, Tower Parade 5.50, the Duke of Cumberland 6.10 and the East Kent at 6.30. These times are approximate. You should be at your vantage point early to get a good view. Please don’t let children run into the road as the procession passes.
PLEASE DO NOT THROW COINS as this has been known to damage property and is one of the reasons carnival has been less well attended in recent years. If you would like to make a donation, please put your coins in the collecting tins as they pass. All money received on the day will go to our participating charities.
ALTERNATIVELY you can DONATE via the QR Code to the right. Off The Wall Club is managing these donations for Whitstable Carnival.
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