Stevepope

Pulaski

Name, address, and Google works for most people - in practice the more common the name, the more specific the address you need. A Smith or a Jones is going to be a struggle if you don't have the actual street on which they live. With a specific name that isn't too common you might get lucky and find there are very few, or only one, in NZ.

Stevepope

Pulaski

Yeah, there couldn't be much worse a name to try to track down - LinkedIn for NZ shows 16 of them, and unfortunately after 40 years there also has to a significant risk that he is no longer around.

MrsFychan

was he married? do you know any other family members name. also I would look for members of the family in the UK who could give you some info

Pulaski

Sounds like a case of a single young man who left the UK and headed to NZ 40+ years ago and his friend (Steve Pope's dad) never heard from him again.

Justcol

Has anyone considered that Mr Jones may have left for a reason and does not wish to be found before helping with this.

BEVS

True enough. If someone does not wish to be found then usually they do not respond to any enquiries.

In this case I sorta feel it was a chance to emigrate is all. There was a push back then for us young folk to leave for Oz or NZ . Both countries wanted and needed people. There was assisted immigration up until the mid 70's.

BEVS

Actually, you have a little more. At least your Dad will have.

Age.
Where in the UK he originated from.
When he emigrated approx.
His trade/work/profession.

If you can illicit a few more details I will effect some searches for you.

contact me on [email protected]

valleygurl

There is a colin jones in new plymouth!

Stevepope

BEVS

I have sent you a BE email.

Stevepope

BEVS

It may still be possible.
If you know he was your Dad's best friend, then you may know if they are the same age. If they were school friends or friends through work.
you will also know where your Dad was living when his friend emigrated. If they were living close to each other etc.

Pulaski

That reminds me of a pen-friend my mother had as a teenager. The pen-friend was a Dutch girl, and they corresponded for several years and both visited each other in their home country. Then university same and they lost touch. Many years later, like around 40 years later, my mother asked a neighbour who was Dutch, who she should get in touch with to track down her long-lost pen-friend. He recommended someone at the town hall, the bergermeister or similar, IIRC. So my mother wrote, and a few weeks later got a reply - the pen-friend had been killed in a car crash at age 21!