Jacket could be key to identifying dead body

Last month, police re-opened its investigation into the death of an unidentified man (illustration pictured), whose body was found within the grounds of Red Lodge, Donnington, at about 1pm on March 4, 1979.
As a result of this publicity, Thames Valley Police received an email from a man in Canada whose grandfather, J.W Marples, owned the company that made the coat that the unidentified man was wearing.
In his email the man said: “My grandfather used to be a tailor in the north Derbyshire area. He did not operate from a shop but sold suits and coats directly to a small rural clientele in the north Derbyshire area by visiting and measuring the customer at home.
“It would be unlikely that he would have sold anything directly much beyond the north Derbyshire, possibly north Nottinghamshire area. His principal area of business was Chesterfield and Bakewell. My grandfather's customers were largely farmers and their families”.
Detective Sergeant Craig Kirby, from the force's major review team, added: “We would be interested in speaking to anyone with information regarding this clothing connection. It is possible that our gentleman may have just come across the clothes in the course of his travels but there is a chance that he got them from the Derbyshire area and that someone there might know him.”
Anyone with information that can help identify the man should contact police on 101 and quote ‘982 12/11/12’ or email opnightingale@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
If you don’t want to speak directly to the police, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or at crimestoppers-uk.org
For more on this story read Thursday's Newbury Weekly News.