A KEEN Flashback reader believes his love of nostalgic photos must be linked to his age.

Mike Hill emailed to share his memories of one of our photos and added: “Keep it up, we enjoy the old photographs. Must be to do with my age.”

Referring to a photograph of the top table from Saxmundham and District Round Table’s 21st Charter Anniversary Dinner, held at the old Melton Grange Hotel in 1978.

He said: “In the picture, from left: David Johnson, Vice Chairman John Alderton, Saxmundham Round Table, Past Area Chairman of Round Table Peter Beales, Area Chairman Round Table Michael Cant, Chairman Saxmundham Round Table Frank Bough, BBC Grandstand Television presenter and Dick Carley, Founder Member and Founder Chairman of Saxmundham Round Table, also past Area Chairman of Round Table.

“I still have the original of this paper, retained probably as I had the task of organising the dinner.

“Frank Bough was retained via an agency, who were clear that as a BBC employee, if the BBC needed him to be in, say, Outer Mongolia on the day, he would have to be substituted. They at the time recalled providing a famous speaker for a north east area meeting of a well-known national ladies organisation. Unfortunately the speaker died three days before the event.

“On ringing the lady organiser to tell of the tragedy, and offer alternatives, the lady exploded with rage, saying “You cannot do that, we have printed and sold all the tickets” etc and slammed the phone down. An hour later same lady rang back to apologise having realised how foolish she must have appeared!”

Another former round tabler, John Hayward, added: “This picture brought back many happy memories.

“The dinner was held on Wednesday, February 8, 1978 at Melton Grange to celebrate the 21st Charter Anniversary of Saxmundham & District Round Table, now sadly defunct.

“On the left is David Johnson, the vice chairman of the Table; next to him is John Alderton from Haverhill Table and John was on the Round Table National Executive.

“The tall gentleman must be Peter Beadles from the Brightlingsea Round Table and chairman of the Round Table area 41, next to him looking rather young is Mike Cant who was chairman of Saxmundham Round Table.

“To Mike’s left is Frank Bough from BBC television, to Frank’s left, and on the right of the photo is Dick Carley who was the Charter chairman of Saxmundham & District Round Table in 1957.

“I still have the programme of the evening in a scrapbook which one day I may give to Saxmundham Museum.”

Meanwhile, Mike Stannardm shared his memories of another photo taken in Saxmundham. He said: “The couple in the picture with Mick Mills are myself and my wife, Mike and Vera Stannard. We were landlord and landlady at the Griffin for 22 years. Mick Mills was there to empty the bottle in the picture, and the contents then went to Great Ormond Street Hospital.

“Over the years with the support and help from our regulars we raised thousands of pounds for the hospital with a different personality doing the honours each year.”

A previous Flashback update showed a photo of an Imperial Service Award presentation at Wattisham.

A letter from Mr Leeks reads: “This photo is of Mr David Robertson (Jock) with his wife Phyllis (nee Taylor).

“He was presented with the medal and certificate for 30 years as a stoker of the boilers at Wattisham Airfield. Phyllis was eldest daughter of Mr Ted Taylor, well known Sheppard of Willisham Hall.

“They first lived over the Tye at Barking, later moving to 3 Fiske Pightle in a council house, which I did the brickwork of in 1948. They had four children which included twin boys and one daughter. Phyllis was the sister of my wife Patricia. David passed on April 29 with a heart attack after collecting his first pension in 1981. His wife Phyllis passed on last year in April, aged 90. Both now lie in Willisham cementary.

“A lovely couple who are both missed by us two. God bless them.

“Thanks for your pictures. Keep them coming.”

Another readers, Phil Robertson, said the photo also shows his father receiving his Imperial Service Award.

“My father was David Robertson who received the award in 1977 after 25 plus years of service at Wattisham RAF. My dad retired a few years later on his 65th birthday (19 April, 1981) but sadly died on 29 April, 1981 having enjoy just 10 days of retirement. Fate can be cruel sometimes.

“The lady to his right holding the basket of flowers is his wife and my mother Phyllis Probertson. She had survived my father by 31 years when she passed away on 18 April, 2012 aged 90 years.

“The gentleman presenting the award to my father was Mr M Blackham, Regional Works Officer, Propery Services Agency Cambridge.

“I don’t know any of the other people featured in the photo.”

Pam Sadler write regarding another photo of darts players and said: “My husband recognised Cyril Dixon on left (with tartan-type jumper). Cyril was brought up in Boxted and both him and my husband, Doug Sadler, played football for Boxted Lodgers.

“Regretably he does not know any of the other darts players shown, so cannot help further.”

With Colin Neale continuing: “From left to right the players are Cyril Dickson (Boxted), Cliff Cook (Layer de la Haye), Joe Brown (Colchester), Ron Dickenson (Colchester), Colin Neale (Coggeshall), Pat Rayner (Stoke by Nayland) and Brian Butcher (Polstead). He is the son of the licensee of the Brewers Arms, Polstead.

“The team were the players of the Polstead Brewers Arms and the event was the Greene King Holiday Competition. We were the winners and won the holiday to Benidorm.

“The holiday was brilliant. We were booked into the hotel for six days and we were really spoilt with a champagne party and £16 spending money.

“Seeing the photo brought back many happy memories.”

John Swallows also recognised the photo and said: “If it is of any help the player on the left is a Cyril Dixon. The one holding the shield is a Cliff Cook.

“Back in the 70s they both played in the Truman’s League at the Stockwell Arms in Stockwell Street, Colchester, and the Six Bells in Greenstead Road.

“In those days pubs were able to support two teams one of each in the A and B leagues.

“The Stockwell Arms has been in the news lately with the refit and the Six Bells was pulled down in 1991 when the Tesco store was built.”

Last month we uncovered a photo from Combs Ford Primary School taken in 1962 and Ron Pattle said: “I actually took this photograph when I was a teacher to this class at Combs Ford in 1962.

“If necessary I could name all the children in the photograph.

“It brings back happy memories.”

Christina Barber added: “Regarding the Combs Ford Primary School photo of 1962. The handsome boy with jacket and tie, front row, fifth from right is Colin “Codge” Barber.

“That picture made my day.”

Finally, Michael Durham recycled his memories after seeing a photo in Flashback.

“I am not sure where the recycling facility is located (one of my neighbours would like to know) but the gentleman in glasses and the lady in the foreground (with the grey hair) are my late mother and father Reginald (Rex) Durham and his wife Muriel. Rex was a staunch founder member of the gardening club and active in the village and also fought the development of the Pytle common ground housing scheme - taking on an appeal before the planning inspector on his own.

“They passed away some years ago but had been married as war bride and groom for 64 years.

“I miss them both.”