THE Chronicle and the internet have brought together two Barnsley school pals who have not met for 62 years.
In 1942 former Chronicle editor Don Booker and sculptor’s son Wesley Johnson shared the same desk in 1a and 2a at Raley Secondary School in Honeywell Lane, now the Barnsley Media College.
They were also mates in the St Barnabas Scout Group in Mottram Street and shared an interest in dance bands and anything to do with an engine, although during that period there were few engines about.
When he was 13, Don left school to study at Barnsley Technical College, while Wesley stayed on at Raley until he was 14. When he left he joined his father in his monumental mason’s firm in Cemetery Road.
They then lost contact with each other until Wesley, who now lives in Oxnard, California, contacted the Chronicle for Don’s address. As a result, the two had a celebration night at Brooklands with Wesley’s wife Ann, Don’s wife, Freda, and two friends from Southampton, Geoff and Margaret Williams.
Wesley told Don how he had joined motor firm HN Booker as a storeman when he was 16 and then worked for Ralph Grimes at his Worsbrough garage selling Fords. At the same time he joined Barnsley Motorcycle and Car Club and bought his first bike with a Raleigh frame and Brough engine from Ken Greenwood.
