Chance meeting reunites best friends

Photo: Darren Robinson

Arthur Bowskill (left) and Ronnie Howarth bumped into each other after 60 years apart. And yes, they share the same taste in cardigans!.

WHEN Arthur Bowskill invited a struggling fellow care home resident to sit down and catch his breath h e couldn’t have predicted the outcome.

As Arthur (86) and Ronnie Howarth (88) got talking at Medlock Court in Lees, they realised they had much more in common than wearing the same cardigan! Each had been best man at the other’s wedding but lost touch and hadn’t met for nearly 60 years!

The delighted pair have been spending time catching up since the incredible chance meeting.

Arthur was next to his pal when he married Margaret at St Herbert’s Church, Chadderton in 1953. Ronnie then returned the best man favour when Arthur married Maureen in June 1955 at St Aidan and Oswalds RC Church in Royton.

They met at Jackson & Ogden in Chadderton when Arthur was 14 and Ronnie 16: “We went through our apprenticeships together and went to the pub together, then both did national service,” said Arthur who has two sons, John (59) and Trevor (57).

“Then we went back to our jobs and picked up on our friendship. Sadly we gradually drifted apart when I went to live on a farm in Royton and Ronnie stayed in Chadderton. When we started having families it got more difficult to get together.

“I can’t believe after all these years we would meet up. If I hadn’t asked Ronnie to sit down next to me to get his breath on the way back we’d never have met up again. It’s incredible. We were even wearing the same cardigans!”

Arthur’s son Trevor, from Royton, said: “It really is a lovely and amazing coincidence. When my dad told me I didn’t believe it at first. The staff couldn’t believe it either - until I showed them the pictures in dad’s wedding album and there they were, standing together.”

The pair won’t both be at Medlock Court for long, as they awaiting moves to Oldham residential homes. Trevor added: “They will keep in contact but due to both having very poor mobility it would be hard to visit each other once they move. We will make sure they have each other’s phone numbers so they can chat.”