Peter's quest to learn the fate of Leeds lass who was his first love

After losing his wife last year, widower Peter Pagdin has found himself thinking more and more of his teenage sweetheart Audrey Williams and how life has treated her.

And he hopes an appeal through this newspaper could give him the answer to the question of what became of her – or even the chance of a longed-for reunion.

Peter said: “Audrey was my first love. You never forget your first love.

“I still remember her and still have feelings for her.”

Then aged 19 and living in Bramley, Peter fell head over heels when he met Audrey, an 18-year-old from Horsforth.

“We were together for seven or eight months, and used to go to the park,” he recalled.

“One evening I met my girl Audrey. As soon as she approached me, I knew there was something wrong. She had been crying.

“She said her mother had told her that she wasn’t to see me any more.”

Her mother had read a letter written to Audrey by a lovestruck Peter while he had been away on holiday.

“In my opinion, her mother had no right to read the letter and impose this on an intelligent young woman like Audrey,” Peter said.

“I still think to this day, I can’t understand why we just walked away.

“I was in shock. I should have taken the girl back home and spoken to her mother.

“Several days passed and I thought I could ring her, but then I wondered if that was going to make life a misery for Audrey.”

He never did make that call and the pair have not spoken to each other since that fateful day in the park.

Peter, who now lives in Heckmondwike, went on to get married in November 1952.

He spent 64 happy years of happy marriage with his late wife, Betty.

Together they raised daughter Carolyn, moving to Bradford a few years after the wedding and then settling in Heckmondwike in 1970.

“My wife died a year ago but this has been on my mind for 70 years or so,” he said.

“I would love to know what happened to Audrey, if she’s alive and would like to meet.”

Audrey lived in Stanhope Drive with her family at the time she knew Peter. She had a brother called John, who was around five years younger.

She was taking piano lessons and had a secretarial job with a company in Armley, although Mr Pagdin cannot remember the name and believes that business has long since closed.

Can you help Peter to find out what happened to Audrey?

Peter would be particularly interested to hear from Audrey or any of her relatives.

Anyone with information on what happened to her is welcome to call the newsroom on 0113 238 8466 to leave a message for hime.

Information can also be passed on by emailing [email protected] or sending a letter to the Yorkshire Evening Post, 26 Whitehall Road, Leeds, LS12 1BE.