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Gillian Sheen (pictured), William 'Twink' Allen, Lawrence 'Benny' Goodman, Alan Lewis

Matthew Bannister tells the life stories of people who have recently died, from the rich and famous to unsung but significant.

Matthew Bannister on

Gillian Sheen, the first and only British person to win an Olympic Gold Medal for fencing.

Professor William 'Twink' Allen, the equine fertility expert whose request for permission to clone a horse was turned down by regulators.

Squadron Leader Lawrence 'Benny' Goodman, the bomber pilot who flew highly dangerous missions with the 617 squadron during the second world war.

Alan Lewis, the publisher and editor who presided over some of the most successful music magazines of the late twentieth century, including 'Sounds', 'NME' and 'Kerrang!'.

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed guest: Bruce Donaldson
Interviewed guest: Malcolm Fare
Interviewed guest: Richard Greenwood
Interviewed guest: Dr. Robert Owen
Interviewed guest: James Brown

Archive clips used: BRITISH FENCING interview, 2012; PATHE, Olympian wins at foil competition, 1957; CSA The Melbourne Rendezvous film, 1956; Global Entertainment Test Tube Foals, 2016; MYFOOTAGE.COM Bombers Sink Nazi Battleship, 1944; PATHE RAF's New 10 Ton Bomb, 1945; EMAP Kerrang! UK advert, 2007.

Available now

28 minutes

Gillian Sheen

Born 21 August 1928; died 5 July 2021 aged 92.

Last Word spoke to her son Bruce Donaldson and to the founder of the National Fencing Museum Malcolm Fare.

William ‘Twink’ Allen

Born 29 August 1940; died 6 June 2021 aged 80.

Last Word spoke to his close friend and former colleague Richard Greenwood.

Lawrence ‘Benny’ Goodman

Born 24 September 1920; died 18 July 2021 aged 100.

Last Word spoke to close friend and historian Dr. Robert Owen.

Alan Lewis

Born 2 July 1945; died 23 June 2021 aged 75.

Last Word spoke to magazine editor and author James Brown.

Broadcasts

  • Fri 23 Jul 2021 16:00
  • Sun 25 Jul 2021 20:30

Podcast