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.
Mike Simpson and Richard Foster write on behalf of the Marine engineer officer Apprentices Association: ‘You, we think, are the final, best shot at locating the last few missing members of the 1964 intake of apprentices in Southampton.
‘We were employed and trained there by famous shipping companies such as Cunard and p&o.
‘ The training produced maturity and camaraderie over four years together (three at college and one at sea), as can be seen in the photo of the 1964 intake (above).
‘This comradeship has not wavered, despite the fact that most of us have not seen each other for 50 years and are spread all over the world.
‘We had our last reunion in 1999, but some members just disappeared without trace and we can’t find them through the normal routes. We would very much like to find our “Scarlet pimpernels” for forthcoming reunions.’
Missing are: Les Hart, peter Baker, Chris Bahram, Derek keeling, Mike Rashleigh, Jerry Bradley, Bob pannell, Tony Webster, Mike Dickinson, keith Holt and ian priestly.
‘Leaders of industry have emerged from our group (and other similar ones). So we have some tales to tell, as well as a lot of history to pass on about the Merchant navy during its heyday.
‘A tight-knit maritime fraternity such as ours was a loyal band of brothers and would have had a similar approach to life wherever they landed up.’ A Few months ago Ann Dorman, nee Hodgetts, was looking for a friend from her youth — Mary Bruce. They attended classes at the Joan Watts School of Dancing in Carshalton, Surrey.
‘i was there from 1940 to 1953,’ wrote Ann. ‘My photo shows Mary and me at purley Way baths, near Croydon, in the summer holidays of 1949. Mary is on the far left, and beside her is my cousin Gwen, visiting from Birmingham.
‘The girl in front is our friend Dorothy Williams ( whose whereabouts, too, it would be good to know.)
‘My mother, Milly Hodgetts, is next in the back row. in front of her is my brother Graham, who took tap lessons at the same school until dissuaded by his classmates!
‘And then there is me, aged 12 or 13, wearing a “new look” dress. The two young men on the right are friends visiting from Staffordshire.
‘Ultimately i chose not to become a professional dancer, but went into teaching. i’m now 78 and live happily in retirement with my 87-yearold husband ernie, who is an artist and retired art teacher. We have two lovely daughters and four grandchildren.’
no sign of Mary yet, but this happy email breezed in: ‘i am the girl in the front of Ann Dorman’s photo, my name is Dorothy Bardock, formerly Dorothy Williams. please advise me how to make contact with Ann.’
We put the two old friends together and afterwards heard this from Ann: ‘i can’t tell you how thrilled i am to have found Dorothy. What a wonderful by- product of my search for Mary. once again, thank you.’
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.