© LKA Niedersachsen
Around 1964/65 it was taken over by Cheaney (Nelson Street, Kettering, UK), which has since ceased trading. The lasts are believed to date from the 1920s or 1930s.Original image: Left shoe last (Wilhelmshaven Police)Public AppealPolice are appealing to the public:
- Does anyone recognise a resemblance to the person shown in the photographic facial reconstruction who may be listed as missing?
- Can anyone provide information on the following questions:
- Where were these shoe lasts used?
- Where were these shoe lasts reported missing in the early 1990s?
- What connection might exist between these shoe lasts and the unknown man?
Further Note: The unknown man was given the nickname “The Gentleman” in recent weeks because of his appearance, the distinctive tie and the apparently high-quality shoes. In light of current findings, this should be viewed with caution: the tie was a mass-produced item, and the shoes had already been repaired and showed clear signs of wear. It is therefore not necessarily the case that the deceased was a wealthy man. It cannot be ruled out that the shoes came into his possession in a used condition.
The 1994 case is the subject of a cold-case investigation by the Oldenburg Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Wilhelmshaven/Friesland Police Inspectorate. Anyone with relevant information is asked to contact the Wilhelmshaven/Friesland Police Inspectorate in writing via the email address unbekannter-toter-vor-helgoland@pi-whv.polizei.niedersachsen.de or by telephone on 04421 942-0.
The body showed injuries to the head and upper torso and had been weighted down, leading investigators to treat the case as a homicide. The exact circumstances in which the body entered the water could not be clarified. It remains unknown whether the body was thrown from a vessel near Helgoland or drifted from the direction of Great Britain.
Base colour dark blue (navy blue) with diagonal stripes in various colours.
Colour sequence (from widest to narrowest):
- Dark blue (navy) – broad stripe
- Silver-grey (light grey) – narrow stripe
- Brown – thin stripe
- Yellow-orange – thin stripe
- Green – narrow stripe
- and again dark blue (navy) – broad stripe
Label: “060 T 09 0235/3107 NAVY; PROFESSIONAL DRY CLEAN CONFIER A UN TEINURIER H 2674 CA 01295”
Reverse: “100% WOOL/LAINE 7311 321”Shoes (image 2 – comparison pair of the original shoes)Men’s slip-on shoes, originally black or navy blue, UK size 11, manufactured in Italy for the English shoe manufacturer Church & Co Ltd, Northampton (England).
Repair soles by the English firm Phillipps (England) and repair heels by Dinky Heel PLC, Bristol (England) marked “I.T.S. Jubilee” with a stylised crown.Trousers
Dark blue (navy) trousers of French manufacture.
Shirt
Long-sleeved, light blue.+++ Witness Appeal +++Police are appealing to the public:
- Does anyone recall a person matching this description who may have been reported missing?
- Does anyone recognise a resemblance to the facial reconstruction of a person who may be missing?
- Can anyone provide information on the origin of the tie or the shoes?
Anyone with relevant information is asked to contact the Wilhelmshaven/Friesland Police Inspectorate in writing via the email address unbekannter-toter-vor-helgoland@pi-whv.polizei.niedersachsen.de or by telephone on +49 4421 942 0.
2 Kommentare
Hello, I’m fairly certain I’ve already recognised the unidentified man from a link (of your post) on the board Websluths.
I’ve tried the phone number and the email address, but neither worked. Perhaps I did something wrong.
I would therefore ask you to pass on the information along with my email address to the police.
I think I met the deceased in the late 1980s in London and in Kalgoorlie, WA, in connection with gold deals. He looked a bit different from the police sketch. He had spots on his face. Otherwise, the description is roughly correct.
His name, or at least his nickname, was „Long John“.
He traded in gold and opals, or perhaps he mined them himself; I can’t say for certain anymore. It’s 40 years ago. I believe he came from Perth. He gambled.
I also recall Port Hedland and Subiaco near Fremantle in that context. He was also frequently in Geneva, Singapore and the then Crown Colony of Hong Kong.
I know from an acquaintance that he had fallen into bad company at the end of the Eastern Bloc.
I haven’t found any articles about it in the UK, or perhaps I simply haven’t seen them.
It seems to be a terrible story. I would therefore ask you to pass on my message.Thank you.
Thanks, we will pass it on. The number is correct and in service.
Don’t know what is the problem.