ROOTS
25/8/2006

What did happen to Kathy's films?

SINGER Kathy Kirby is looking for films her lover made of her live performances.

In the late 1960s and 70s, Kathy - whose biography, Secrets, Loves and Lip Gloss, has just been published - was involved with a Leeds businessman, Geoffrey Gee (Grossman), who died two years ago.

During their relationship Geoffrey often filmed Kathy's performances.

Kathy, now 68, had her first hit, Dance On, in August 1963. The record reached number 11. Her second single, Secret Love, was her biggest hit, reaching number four in November the same year.

Her album, 16 Hits From Stars and Garters, reached number 11 in 1964.

Graham Smith, of publishers Mediaworld, said: "I was approached by a PR company acting for an estate agent building new flats on the site of Geoffrey's old home in Street Lane, Leeds.

"As a result Kathy reminisced about her time there and appealed for the whereabouts of the films and Geoffrey.

"From the resulting deluge of telephone calls I discovered there is a dispute over whether the films, some or all of them, have survived.

"A gentleman claiming he was Geoffrey's cousin called me to say they had been destroyed, but I have had several anonymous emails from a lady saying they still exist. No one from the family seems prepared to come forward and assist.

"Even a personal letter from Miss Kirby to the last known address of Geoffrey's sister, Sybil Cornell, drew a blank. Kathy would love to have copies of the films which hold memories of better days for her. They would also be useful for the proposed documentary."

He added: "It should be said that Geoffrey was a flamboyant character and his lifestyle was not perhaps all that certain members of his family would have wished. So close were he and Kathy that he bought her a Yorkshire terrier which was called Geeki (Gee and Kirby), who had a bejewelled kennel, and a racehorse, which I believe was called Kathy's Choice.

Telephone Graham on 0113 2507147 or 07866 626090 or email graham@mediaworldnews.co.uk


Leah's fatal accident

CARMEL Sarano of London is the grand-daughter of Hetty Goldman.

Hetty married Sam Schuster of Birmingham in 1917. Hetty siblings were, Meir, Cassie, Sarah, Leah and Harry.

Sarah is thought to have married a gentleman with the surname Cohen. Leah was in a fatal bus/tram accident. She had a son called Mark who emigrated to Australia, and a daughter Serena, who was rehomed in Harrogate after Leah's death.

Write to 33 Manor View, Finchley, London N3 2ST or email carmelsarano@yahoo.com


Mayor Solomon?

ROBERT Offner of Australia is looking for details on his great great grandfather, Solomon Reece. His grand-daughter Ada Cusens was Robert's father's mother who moved to Australia in 1926. Solomon, Robert believes, was at one time the Mayor of Liverpool.

Write to Bottle House, Box 93, Wellington, New South Wales, 2820, Australia or email roffner@bigpond.net.au


Family in Liverpool

SUE Prescott of Wigan is looking for decendants of Myers (born 1856) and Selina (born 1857) Goldberg, whose last place of residence before moving to the UK about 1876, was Vilna.

Myers and Selina moved from Russia to Vilna when they married aged 20 and 19 respectively. They arrived in England with their daughter Sarah Golda who was about six-months-old. Sue believes some of the family now live in Liverpool and have changed their name to Gee.

Write to 78 Widdrington Rd, Wigan WN1 2LU or email avaroot@yahoo.co.uk.


Tracing origins of family

LOIS Kaufman of London is trying to trace the origins of the Fraser (Frezinsky) family of the Mariampol area of Russian Poland and moved to Manchester in the 1870s.

Lois has been told that her great grandmother, Golda Baker, nee Fraser (Frezinsky), had a brother, Israel Fraser, who married Fanny Featherman.

However, it seems that he had a different father from Golda. Israel's father was Nathan, while Golda's father was Israel. Israel's sister Sarah married Nathan Shemensky and had the following children, Ada, Bessy, Hannah, Henry, Joseph and May who were born in the last decade of the 19th century.

Write to 32 Rickmansworth Road, Pinner, Middx, HA5 3TG or email lois@seagull-solutions.co.uk


Lived in the Bronx

ROE Goffredo of New York wants information on one of her grandmother's sisters, Bella Levy.

Born in Liverpool around 1887, Bella's parents were Lewis and Lizzy Levy (formally Eddelstone). Bella married Samuel Freedman in 1912 in West Derby. She was 23 and he was 24. Samuel's father's name was Morris, a tailor. Samuel was a furriers traveller. In 1913, Bella sailed on the Campania from Liverpool to the USA to meet her husband Samuel, who was staying in the Bronx.

Roe's grandmother Rose Levy was living there in 1916 with her sister and brother in law Harry and Sarah Jackson.

Write to 15 Congress Drive, Washingtonville NY 10992, America or email r39@frontiernet.net


To make an appeal, email MIKE COHEN at roots@jewishtelegraph.com Please include your home address.


Site developed & maintained by
MICHAEL PAYSDEN/FIREIMAGE
© 2006 Jewish Telegraph
www.JewishTelegraph.com