Jockey horror show for antelope
RELATIVES have been traced of a mystery man who threw a message into the sea 82 years ago.
It took just two days for family members of John Stapleford to come forward and solve the riddle of the amazing discovery.
Nigel Hill, 55, came across the bottle while walking his labrador at St Aubin on Jersey.
Now Carol Hatter, 75, has revealed husband John, 80, is the nephew of Mr Stapleford’s wife.
She explained the relative they knew as Jack was on the island with his wife Nell for her brother’s wedding when he wrote the note, dated September 5, 1938.
It read: “Will the finder of this bottle please communicate with: John Stapleford, 18 Fitzjohn Avenue, Barnet, Herts, England. With a photograph.”
The message was penned on an old cake box from Jersey company Cawley Bros Limited.
Research found that Jack, a chief accountant for Customs and Excise, was born on August 4 1889 and died at 91 on December 2, 1980. He had two adopted children,Tony and Joyce.
Carol explained: “By the time my husband was a young person,
THIS cheetah looks like it is racing at Kempton rather than hunting an antelope in Kenya.
The cat clung on for several yards before flooring the stricken topi with his brothers’ help.
Photographer Dick van Duijn was in the Maasai Mara National Reserve tracking the cheetah brothers known locally as the Fast Five.
He said: “It was such an
Jack lived in Herne Bay, Kent, and we used to visit them.”
The current owner of the Barnet house confirmed from deeds that Jack bought the home in 1921. intense moment. You cannot believe how quickly cheetahs can move.” It is the world’s fastest land mammal, hitting 60mph in three seconds. Topis can easily top 50mph.
Dick, 34, said: “Not everybody was positive when I posted these photos but this is pure nature. The cheetahs can’t go to the butcher to buy their food.”