Letters from Brandon Shackleton [Heath ?–1957]
I am trying to trace the whereabouts of Christopher Zupnik who, I believe, attended at Heath in the 60s. He will probably be aged in his mid 60s at present.
I have an original oil painting by his father, the late Lawrence Zupnik, who was a Polish airman in WWll and came to live in Southowram, where I was born. He married a lady from the village and I remember Christopher, their son. The painting may have no more than sentimental value for Christopher but I would like to pass it on to him rather than dispose of it in any other way.
It was rumoured that the Zupnik family may have moved to the South of England, possibly to the Reading area, but this is far from certain. Christopher’s present whereabouts, or indeed any other useful information to trace him, will be greatly appreciated.
I can be contacted via bandsshackleton@gmail.com.
Thank you in anticipation of whatever help you can offer in helping me to trace Christopher, and re-unite him with his father's painting.
Yours sincerely,
Brandon Shackleton
Hi John,
The system works!
You very kindly publicised the fact that I was trying to trace the Zupnik family whom I believed had been former HGS pupils.
I have just returned home this evening to find a telephone message on the answerphone from Christopher, who has also sent me an email with contact details.
It appears that his son, Lawrence, who now lives in Norway, saw your message re my request for contact details. It was also seen by him on the Angmering (near Worthing) Community Centre website, where the full details surrounding the background story to my request were published. The Zupnik family had lived in that area but moved away about 12 years ago.
You may recall that I was directed to the HOBA website almost 12 months ago as a means of tracing the Zupnik family by John Robertshaw, who remembered the name from his days at HGS.
Now that contact has been made, it will only be a question of time before the painting is back in the Zupnik household.
I have had the additional benefit of a contact with Steve Readyhough, who now lives in Dorset. For quite a few years, he and his wife, Steph, lived next door to me in Central Park before he had to move in connection with his work into the Buckinghamshire area. Since then we lost contact but, thanks to the Zupnik story, which Steve read, he has now been in touch and our friendship can now be re-established.
Very many thanks to the HOBA website and Newsletter. The system has worked a treat. And thank you, John, for your help in bringing this about.
My kindest regards,
Brandon Shackleton