Appeal to name man who died at Mile End station 50 years ago

A team of volunteer investigators are looking for the public’s help in identfying a man who died after being hit by a train in east London almost 50 years ago.

Locate International, a charity which says it investigates cold cases of missing people and unidentified bodies, says it could be the last chance to name the man and has released an artist’s impression of his face.

The man was struck by a train at Mile End station at about 9.35am on Thursday, May 8 1975.

According to Locate, he is believed to have been in his 40s or 50s, about 6ft tall, was white, and had black receding hair.

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Victoria Shepherd, one of the civilian investigators looking into the case, said: “If he was still alive, Mile End Man and his contemporaries would be aged around 90 now. That means this really might be the last chance to identify him.

“The chances are that anyone who can identify him is at least 60 years old now. So if you’re in that age group, please have a look at the image in case you recognise him. And if you’re younger, please share it with anyone older who may be able to help.”

He was clean shaven and had false teeth, possibly only for his upper teeth.

The charity said he was “quite smartly dressed”, wearing blue trousers, a light blue shirt and a navy blue blazer with yellow metal buttons from Burton.

He also wore a white vest and Y front underpants, long grey socks and black leather lace-up shoes in a size 7 from Moss Bros.

The man had a metal watch from the Tudor Oyster brand created by Rolex, model number 7804 (which Locate say suggests it was produced in 1951 or 1952) and serial number 86414.

It would have cost the equivalent of £1,000-£2,000 in today’s money, according to the charity.

He also had a metal Ronson Varaflame lighter and was carrying a ballpoint pen embossed with PTL Motors – Western Road E17.

The charity said it is particularly keen to hear from anyone who had a connection to PTL Motors in Walthamstow, or to garages in the same area in the 1970s.

It is also appealing for information about the watch or for any witnesses or Mile End station staff from the time to come forward.

Locate said West Ham won the FA Cup just five days before the incident and held a victory parade through the streets of neighbouring Newham just a day later.

Dave Grimstead, Locate International’s CEO and co-founder, said: “Even though this happened in 1975, we’re still confident we can reunite Mile End Man with his real name. It’s never too late.

“All it takes is for one person to recognise one detail, or to share it with someone who might, and it can send our investigation into a new direction.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Locate International by emailing appeals@locate.international, calling 0300 102 1011 or by visiting https://locate.international/mile-end-man-appeal-2023/.