Ferring postcard find brings back memories of holiday in the home of The Avengers cinematographer and George Formby leading lady

The discovery of the family treasure brought back memories of a childhood holiday in Ferring, staying at the home of top British cinematographer Wilkie Cooper, known for The Avengers and Jason and the Argonauts, and his wife, the actress Peggy Bryan, George Formby’s leading lady in Turned Out Nice Again.

William Lefebve said the postcard was found among his late brother's belongings and sent on to him by his nephew, Nicholas Lefebve. It has a picture of the beach with The Bluebird Café in the distance, the words 'Sands looking west, Ferring-by-Sea' on the front and a postmark dated August 27, 1958, on the back.

William said: "My mother had written on the back to my brother in London, saying we were having a lovely time down by the sea in Sussex."

The postcard to Gerald Lefebve included the message: “This is a lovely spot, nice and quiet, wish you could have managed it. Perhaps next year. We're staying in a house next to the last bungalow in picture, couldn't be nearer. Take care of yourselves."

William doesn't know how his father knew Wilkie but he remembers the holiday with his parents at Four Winds, about 200 yards along from the café.

He said: "I was about 12 and I came to Ferring with my mother and father at Four Winds. The man who lived there was a big name in films, he'd worked with Brigitte Bardot. How my father knew him, I have no idea.

"I have got memories of it and I remember being in this house with my mum and dad and the children of the people of the house, Gavin and Johnny. I think we only came once.”

Len Lefebve, William's father, had a long career in horse racing, starting out as an apprentice National Hunt jockey in Lewes, and was attached to the stables of Len Hammond.

William is a retired Press Association horse racing journalist who moved down to the south coast with his wife in 2003. They first rented a house in Worthing before buying their current home in Ferring, and by chance, William discovered he was living around the corner from Johnny.

Meeting up with Johnny again reminded William of the holiday in Ferring and then getting the postcard was ‘the last piece in the jigsaw puzzle’, he said.

The postcard has brought back happy memories of the family holiday in Ferring and William will be keeping the original as a memento but he has had it enlarged professionally and framed to go on the wall at the café.

Owner Peter Garrett was delighted to accept the gift 65 years on. He has owned the café since he was 17 and changed it back to its original name after it had been The Lemon Tree for nearly two decades.

The Bluebird was originally opened in 1928, during a period when Ferring received many day visitors and holidaymakers. The Canadian army used the building for a canteen during the Second World War.

Peter said: “It is lovely to see more of the history of the café. I have been here 27 years so I know a lot of its past but it is lovely to find out more. The customers love to see old photos as well.”