An Aberdeen woman who relocated to the south of England more than 60 years ago has appealed for her best friend from school to get in touch.
Wilma Leiper and Cora Kemp lived next door to each other on the city’s Crimon Place and both attended Skene Street School.
After sitting their 11-plus exam they then went to Frederick Street School.
Growing up side-by-side the pair quickly became firm friends and would regularly go out playing and climbing trees together. But when the Leiper family decided to relocate to Bexhill in 1951 when the girls were both aged 12, the friends had to make do with being pen pals. Sadly, the letters gradually dried up and the pair drifted apart.
Now Mrs Wilma Leiper-Noda has contacted the Press and Journal to see if her long-lost friend is still in Aberdeen and would be keen to rekindle their friendship.
“I had my life down there and her’s was in Aberdeen.
“Slowly we just lost touch through one thing and another,” said Mrs Leiper-Noda, now 78.
It wasn’t until reading a “trashy novel” with a “long-lost friend” storyline that the pensioner began to wonder what had happened to her old pal.
Mrs Leiper-Noda added: “It’s a long shot, but I just had a feeling that I would like to try and find her. She had a sister, but I can’t remember her name and a brother called Henry.
“I haven’t seen her since I left Aberdeen when I was 12.
“It would be lovely if we could get together after all this time and have a catch-up.
“If anyone knows the whereabouts of Cora Kemp, I would love to hear from you – or Cora herself. She would be 78 years old now and may have a different surname.”
The only reminder Mrs Leiper-Noda has of her friend is a photograph of the two of them standing with someone dressed up as a bear.
Explaining that she couldn’t quite recall the photo being taken, the pensioner said: “There used to be lots of street photographers up and down Union Street, so I’m guessing that’s where it was – but the backdrop doesn’t really give away many clues.
“Just looking out that photo is stirring memories for me. I can remember skating on the pond in the Duthie Park and rolling hand-painted coloured Easter eggs and happy picnics in the summer.
“Children in the 40s and 50s had so much more freedom.
“There was a crisp factory near Crown Street I think and we used to go there to buy a poke of crisp crumbs. Memories are creeping back,” added Mrs Leiper-Noda.
Now she plans to travel to the north-east in the spring to visit her sister who still lives in the area and hopes she will be able to hear news of her friend. She said: “I do believe in miracles.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Mrs Wilma Leiper-Noda at: wilma.noda@btinternet.com