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.
Janette Foy McGuFFie, nee Whiteford, is hoping to trace her old friend from girlhood, Betty Luke, and recently contacted us.
‘Betty was born in Darvel, ayrshire, and was working as an air stewardess based in newcastle upon tyne in the early eighties,’ says Janette.
‘ We had been friends from our early teens, when we lived in newton Mearns, near Glasgow, and Lochranza, on the isle of arran.
‘i moved to england in 1975, when i joined Princess Mary’s Royal air Force nursing Service.
‘two years later, i went to work in Carlisle as the special care baby unit sister. the photograph of Betty and me was taken outside the Fantails Restaurant in the Cumbrian village of Wetheral.
‘after i got married to my husband Jim, i trained as a district nurse, combining that with midwifery. i would love to get back in touch with Betty, wherever she might be living now.
‘it would be marvellous to find out how life has treated her and to catch up on all the years since we last saw one another.’ in noVeMBeR, we ran a story from Bob Hanson of Macclesfield in Cheshire.
‘My photo was taken in the winter of 1962-63 and shows the outlaws Bowling team,’ he wrote. ‘Left to right, we are John Smith, Barry Brook, Mick Hargreaves, Dave Lumby and me. We were originally members of Branch Road Methodist youth Club in Lower Wortley, Leeds, where we formed a football team.
‘From that was spawned the bowling team, which played at the alley on Kirkstall Road, Leeds.
‘Mick Hargreaves had the highest average over the season. Dave scored our only 200-plus game with a 208. John and Barry kept the score respectable.
‘in 1963, i left Leeds and lost touch. Many years later, i reunited with John, Mick and Dave, but of Barry, we have no trace. We hope this column will find him.’
alas, a letter arrived from Maureen Brook in Leeds: ‘Barry and i got married in 1970 and had a son, Mark. i’m sorry to say Barry passed away in 1997. i still have that photo of the outlaws Bowling team and his bowling shirt.’
Bob says: ‘i’ve now been in touch with Maureen. a sad ending to what we thought was a good idea.’
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.