MISSING . . . and FOUND!
THE DAILY MAIL offers readers a unique opportunity to re-establish contact with long-lost relatives and friends. Each week, MONICA PORTER features the story of someone trying to find a missing loved one, as well as a tale of people reunited. This column is produced in conjunction with the voluntary tracing service, Searching For A Memory, run by Gill and John Whitley. ‘BACK in the early Sixties, I played lead guitar in a fourpiece group called the Toledos,’ writes Tom Terry, who lives in Nuneaton, in Warwickshire.
‘ We all went to Wi l l i a m Penn Comprehensive on Red Post Hill in Dulwich, South East London. The photo shows John Needham (bass guitar), Brian Epsom ( rhythm guitar), Martin Booth on drums and me.
‘We played tunes by The Shadows and The Ventures in pubs and at weddings, and we were the support to Screaming Lord Sutch And The Savages, and Brian Poole & The Tremeloes at the Savoy in Catford and the Pavilion Ballroom in Gillingham, Kent.
‘ We all had day jobs: I worked as a documents clerk for W. Weddel & Co, meat importers in Smithfield.
‘We hired a manager, who got us a series of gigs with a view to going to Hamburg, but nothing came of it.
‘One gig was at the 2i’s Coffee Bar in Soho, made famous by Tommy Steele and Cliff Richard.
‘I lost contact with John and Brian in 1963, when the group broke up, and last saw Martin at my wedding in 1966.
‘ My wife Linda and I have celebrated our 51st wedding anniversary and we have two children and three grandchildren. I would dearly love to get together again with my old bandmates after so long.’ IN THE spring, we ran a story about Ray Aggio, of Hitchin, Hertfordshire, who was looking for fellow members of the football team at Huxley Junior School in Edmonton, North London, from 1957-58.
‘ We were awarded the Edmonton Schools Under-11 football trophy, having won all of our 22 matches.
‘In the photo, I am in the front row, third from left, looking very pleased.
‘On leaving school in 1962, I became a professional footballer, joining Wolverhampton Wanderers, and played professionally for 17 years. Barnet FC was my last club.’
There was a good response from Ray’s school and footballing days.
We put him in touch with one of his Huxley school football team members, Brian Mitchell (front row, second from left), who lived in Edmonton.
And now, fellow team member Stephen Smith has made contact.
Ray’s old classmate Keith Wallace, living in Canada, saw the story and is keen to get in touch, as was another of Ray’s school friends, John Hall. IF there is someone you would like to trace, write to Gill Whitley, 1 Newbrook house, New hall Lane, Preston, Pr1 5Pe, enclosing an SAe, or send an email to monica.porter@dailymail. co.uk — including a contact phone number. All communications will be answered as soon as possible. this column is researched with the aid of Peopletracer (www.peopletracer.co.uk). A small donation will be requested for employing Gill Whitley’s services.