Press Article

November 2013

Nimrod the Great Hunter Unearths Signed Treasure

When I worked for BAE SYSTEMS at the Woodford Aircraft Factory I had a chance conversation with the then Nimrod Engineering Manager Tony Daycock regarding Laurel and Hardy and the antics and mayhem they got up to in their films. This conversation took place in 2010 and was prompted when I produced a poster of Laurel and Hardy for a printing cost saving campaign with the slogan "Black and White Works - ask the Boys", these were placed by all the printers in the factory to encourage black and white printing as this was far cheaper than colour. Tony informed me that his cousin had a signed letter from the boys that was addressed to his Uncle, a 'Mr R Tuckfield Esq', thanking him for orchestrating the music for "Lazy Moon" and "Lonesome Pine" for part of their 1947 UK tour.

He promised to try and send me a copy, and three years later I received an email out of the blue with a scanned reproduction of the aforementioned letter. I believe this letter would be of great interest to all Laurel and Hardy Fans worldwide, as this is another piece of the history of the Boys and quite possibly a letter that has never been seen before. The letterhead shows that Stan was President and Ollie Vice President of 'Laurel and Hardy Feature Productions' and I don't recall seeing the cartoon logo before.

Tony Says:-

"I believe my uncle and Laurel and Hardy met at the Hippodrome Theatre in Dudley (which is where the letter is addressed to) and also in the Abbey Hotel in Kenilworth where my uncle had accommodation at the time, presumably to discuss the arrangement. We only know that because my sister had 'digs' in the same street as a student at Warwick University thirty or so years ago and when she told our uncle at the time he then told her he had stayed at that hotel in the same street and unfolded the little story of him and Laurel and Hardy".

Thanks to Tony for not forgetting our chance conversation from the past and coming up trumps in sharing a rare piece of history.

Graeme Green
Grand Sheik