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.
CAN two nurses who met 50 years ago be reunited?
‘I am hoping you can help trace my dear friend,’ writes Mary Gibson, now retired, who has 14 grandchildren and lives in Hull. ‘I met Anne Bennett Hodgson, nee Redmond, in 1968 when we began nursing training at the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle. The original hospital is no longer there — only the Grade IIlisted facade remains.
‘Anne — who was born in Kirkcaldy in 1949 — was in the next room to mine at the nurses’ home and we hit it off straight away.
‘She came to my wedding in 1975 and, as the years rolled by, we settled down. Anne married Bill and had two children, Emma and Ben.
‘We last spoke on the phone in 1995. It is decades since we met. I plan to travel to Carlisle and visit the former infirmary building for old times’ sake and it would be wonderful if Anne could meet me there.’ ANOTHER piece of the puzzle has been solved for a team of former hotel and catering students.
A couple of years ago, Adrian Watkinson wrote: ‘In 1965, a group of 24 students arrived at Hendon College of Technology in North London to start a four-year national diploma course in hotel and catering management.
‘By 1969, our numbers had reduced, and just 12 of us graduated. My photo of Peter Brainch and Peter HowardJones was taken at the postexams party held at the home of Bryan Ward, our muchrespected course tutor. After that night, we lost touch.
‘We’ve been trying to reunite our group, and 13 of us are in regular email contact. Besides those of us in the UK, we are represented in Australia, Canada and Kenya. But we’re still hoping to reconnect with the rest of our group.’
We found one of the missing students — a pleasantly surprised Peter Denny.
Now, Jill Ward tells us: ‘I’ve been given a cutting from the Daily Mail by a neighbour. My late husband, Bryan, is mentioned and the photo was taken at our then house.
‘Please pass on to the former students that Bryan Ward died in 2007.
‘I’m happy to get in touch with the group to reminisce about old times.’
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. A small donation will be requested for employing Gill Whitley’s services. researched with the aid of www.192.com.