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 1970, my friend Bobby Henderson and I travelled to Jersey to take up jobs as mechanical engineers at a company in St Peter’s Valley which is now called Granite Products,’ writes John Wilkinson.
‘ We believed there was more opportunity there than in the North-East, where we lived.
‘ I was brought up in Jarrow, while Bobby, born in 1945, was brought up in the neighbouring town of Hebburn.
‘We’d been best men at each other’s weddings — mine in 1968 and Bobby’s the following year to Jennifer Armstrong at Newcastle register office.
‘The idea was to try to bring our families over to Jersey, but we went home six months later because it was impossible to find affordable housing.
‘Bobby later went back to Jersey with his wife.
‘Up to 1974, I visited them twice at their home, which was provided by the company Bobby worked for. Sadly, later that year, their marriage broke down and Bobby’s wife and son, Mark, returned to England.
‘Bobby paid us a brief visit to explain the situation, stayed for a few days and then returned to Jersey.
‘We’ve not heard from him since. I’ve been trying to find him in Jersey, but the trail has gone cold.
‘ It will be my golden wedding anniversary next year and my wife and I would love to invite Bobby to our celebration.’ WE RAN this lovely tale from Marian Martin in July: ‘ My picture is of a girls’ outing to Southend in July 1965. We were colleagues at Westminster Bank Credit Clearing in Mincing Lane, London. contact,find picture‘ Somethe threebutof we’vewe’dus girls are lovein not thetoin managedBrignell, Mariato trace: Brown Pat and Jenny Duncan.
‘We’ve exhausted all other avenues. We would also love to hear from anyone who worked in that office from 1965 to 1968.
‘We were a gang of ten all in our teenage years and had fabulous times at the bank. Tuesdays were Girls’ West End Nights, with visits to a Golden Egg restaurant — does anyone remember those? — then on to the cinema.
‘We went to each other’s 21st birthday parties, engagements and weddings. Many of us turn 70 this year and we would love to invite our fondly remembered missing colleagues to our celebrations.’ Here’s a response from Dennis Friend, 92, of Sidmouth, Devon: ‘ I was delighted to read about the girls. I was their manager at the time and remember the names. ‘ I recall some of them dancing on the desks one Christmas after a liquid lunch! There is more, but I won’t embarrass them. ‘Send my best regards. I always read your column, but never dreamed I’d see anyone I knew.’ 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.