26 February 2020 – From Carole Durrant (nee Weller)

Dear Reg Walker

I have stumbled across your site and am thrilled to have done so.

My dad was James Victor Weller, known as Vic Weller and also known as Sam Weller. We transferred up to Norwich from London in 1969/70 I believe. We moved into the Netherwood Green (no 92 or 93 I believe) estate for a few months before moving out to 8 Hillcrest, Chedgrave, Norfolk within that first year. My Dad sadly had a stroke one evening, having played cricket at Rollesby for HMSO that day (accompanied by me – I was only 11 at the time) and sadly he never worked again.

HMSO were supportive to us as a family, certainly in the early days. I remember the Dwyer family living next to us at Netherwood Green and the Mills family who we were also friendly with who lived in the next row (so likely to be 80’s or 100’s in Netherwood Green.

I would love to hear back from you and wonder if anyone remembers my dad. I would love to see any photos or cuttings where he is mentioned, maybe for his cricket if not for his job and/or mentioned by his workmates at HMSO either for Norwich or London. My dad’s birthday was 4 August. (I don’t have the year to hand, but can obtain it!)

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards, Carole Durrant

Hello Carole, Thank you for making contact with HMSOldies. I have copied your note to several ex-HMSO people who may well have known your father. As you can imagine, there are fewer of us around these days. I also came up from London (but not in Print) in 1968. Do you remember where your father worked: Atlantic House, or one of the Presses? You mention the Dwyer family. Bob Dwyer was a well-known HMSO Printer, who sadly died last year. As regards the Mills family, this could be Ralph Mills, who died some 30 years ago.

Unfortunately your father’s name does not appear in the Staff Lists I hold, but there is a reference on the HMSOldies website – specifically, in a reminiscence written on Ivor Hosgood by David Berwick (to whom copied). He is mentioned in the third para from the end.

HMSOldies also has a Facebook page if that is of any interest.

As regards cricket, I have copied to a couple of our sportier ex-colleagues who may have some memories.

I will certainly let you know of anything I hear.

Best wishes, Reg Walker