ALAN SEALY corresponded with the OC website to say:
“I knew Martin Vesey when we both lived at Ashtead in Surrey in 1956/7, and we both attended a private school – the Rowans – for a couple of years. Martin’s Dad at that time was a specialist hatter making hats for use in films. I remember seeing a hat made for Kenneth Moore in some WW2 film. Martin moved to Petworth and we completely lost touch apart from a brief meeting when he biked up to meet me in Ashtead. Purely by chance, I met Leo around 2000, who was working for a loss adjuster at the time and asked if he knew Martin. “He is my Dad!” At that time Martin was living in Beckenham, and I called and caught him at a bad time. He was going out, and we never caught up again. I am sad about that now as our short friendship stuck in my mind and he died about 11 years ago. I am now 80 and tying up a few loose ends. Martin was one! Leo is probably still around. By coincidence, I knew Martin had worked for a long time at M & S and we had some senior M & S management living in our village – Jordans in Bucks. As soon as I mentioned Martin Vesey they recognised it immediately. The lesson is don’t leave loose ends too long!