Search for families and friends
Posted on
Ian Gibson who worked with Neville Mann at Halley Bay in 1963 contacted the Surrey Advertiser at the end of March and asked Beverley Woolford to run an article about the British Antarctic Monument Trust, BAMT. The only scrap of information we had was from a former BAS staffer who said he had visited Neville's parents in Godalming in 1964.
The article headed by an archive photo of Neville has also appeared on the Get Surrey website.
According to the Surrey Advertiser Neville was the second of three sons of Mrs Mann and Mr J H Mann of the Godalming furnishing company. He spent a year at Godalming County Grammar School before three years at Ottershaw Park Boarding School. He was also a student at Guildford Technology College for two years and studied architecture at Kingston School of Art.
With in a few hours of the article appearing, BAMT chairman Rod Rhys Jones received two emails offering assistance. One from Angus Palmer who attended Ottershaw Old Boys Society, the same school as Neville. He said in his email, "the Old Boys Society is very active and I'm sure one or more of our members will have some useful recollections. I will circulate the membership." He has also offered to draw attention to the Ottershaw Old Boys that the Trustees are inviting subscriptions towards the memorial.
We have also heard from Sheelagh Brown who remembers the Mann family. She says that they were very much part of the Busbridge community in Godalming where she grew up and went to the local grammar school. She suggested contacting the local church and museum and thoughtfully provides the contact information.
She ends by writing, "All the very best for the appeal. Godalming (especially in the 1960’s) was always a very friendly and caring community – and there will be lots of people who will want to ensure that {cms_selflink page='73' text='Neville Mann '}has a fitting memorial."
Please contact Rod Rhys Jones if you have any additional information.