Back in April, I published a picture sent to me by reader Phil Hayes. The photo had the words “Spread Eagle Outing 1948” written on the back and one of the people pictured was his father, Douglas Hayes (known as Tiny due to him being 6ft 1in tall, quite a height in those days). But apart from that, Phil knew little about it and asked if any of our readers could supply any further details. Could you ever!

One of the first to respond was Barbara Sears. She wrote: “What a surprise I had when I saw the photograph of the Spread Eagle Outing in the Watford Observer, as I inherited the very same picture from my mother, Mrs Joan Walker.

“There are six members of my family in this picture, my father, Fred Walker, his brother Percy, his sister Peggy Dearing and their respective spouses. In 1948 they were not married. My aunt and uncle Peggy and Sandy Dearing are now 85 and 86 respectively and still live in Watford. I have been reminiscing with them regarding this outing and we can name quite a few of the people in the photograph.”

Peggy also rang in with more details. The trip in the photo was going to Southend, she said, and was one of two or three outings a year run in conjunction with Premier Garage in Queens Avenue. They also went to Brighton and Clacton on other occasions. Many of the people who went worked at Sun Printers. In the picture, which she said was taken in the early morning despite the drinking in evidence, Peggy is holding a sandwich (“I was always hungry in those days”) and 17 or 18 years old. Her husband of 64 years is also in the picture, although they weren’t married then, of course.

Peggy said they used to drop into a pub called the Ivy House in Southend.

Mrs Sears had more on this. She wrote: “At the Ivy House my mum Joan Walker leaned on the fireplace and it all fell down! My Aunty Peggy said she remembers it so well as they laughed for years over this.”

Jean Ford also contacted me about the picture, to confirm that it’s her dad, Thomas Ford, who’s standing on the far right.

The people in the picture are, as far as we know, as follows. If you can fill in any of the gaps, please write and let us all know.

Top row (standing in front of bus): Sandy Dearing; unknown; Chipper Hoy.

Second row (standing): Keith Powell; Alfie Law; Tony Ashcroft; Fred Walker; Sid Ford; next six unknown; George Beech; next two unknown; Douglas Hayes; Donald ? [“We all knew him as Donald the Duck but that wasn’t his name”]; Tom Ford.

Front row: Unknown; Peggy Dearing; Percy Walker; Wyn ?; Joan Walker; Molly Ford; Connie Walker; Unknown; two woman behind unknown; Kath Melcham; Harry Sumpter.

If you want to read the original article, click HERE.

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