Birthday boys enjoy party fun

BORN Sandgrounder David Matassa jetted thousands of miles back to Southport to share joint 69th birthday celebrations with an old schoolfriend.
David has lived in Vancouver, Canada for the past 35 years, and returned to stay with Peter Holdsworth, his classmate at St Marie’s junior school who was born three days after him in May 1938.
The son of a fireman, this was David’s first visit in nine years – since he and Peter celebrated their 60th birthdays together – and the homecoming has been an emotional one.
“I’ve got a lot of happy memories and good old friends here, I’ve always thought Southport people were very friendly,� David told LookBack.

After attending junior school together in Seabank Road during the Second World War, the friends were separated for two years when David attended Our Lady of Lourdes’ school in Birkdale and Peter went to St John’s school in Crossens.
In May 1951, David and classmates from Our Lady’s – including Peter’s sister Pat – travelled by coach to the Festival of Britain Exhibition on the south bank of the Thames, staying in wartime shelters operated by London County Council.
Peter and David were re- united in their teens at Southport Junior Technical College in Mornington Road, and their friendship blossomed, with David being Peter’s best man at his wedding to Ann in 1964.
Peter pursued joinery before moving on to teach woodwork, metalwork and technical drawing at local schools, including for seven years at Stanley High, while David worked in the men’s clothing department of Rawcliffes in London Street.
In Southport the two Matassa brothers, David and his elder sibling Peter, married two sisters, Kathleen and Barbara respectively – before David and his young family decided to take a chance and follow his brother by emigrating to Canada.
“I just thought it would be a better life – in the sixties it was a little grim here,� said David, who continued to work in clothing sales until his retirement.
While his parents were alive, David came back to Southport about every 18 months. But after a nine-year gap, his five weeks staying with Peter in his home on The Promenade has left him taken aback by the changes in the resort.
David said, smiling: “It’s always nice to come back and walk around town and see all the landmarks, although there are always changes.�