This column not only reflects the past, it brings people together through that mirror.

The story of former Bradford pop band The Royalists is an example. It started out in Remember When? on March 19 as a story about a book by Rocky Mason and Frank McGroarty on the subject of Butlin’s Redcoats.

Roy Bould, a singer and keyboard player with The Royalists in the 1960s, got in touch to say the group was a resident band with Butlin’s.

His reminiscences were spotted by John Harland, a former Royalists bass player in the late 196)s, who was keen to pass on his memories, as well as reconnect with his friend Roy Bould.

Two months later, John and Roy have hooked up with one another, swapping stories and photographs of the good old days.

John has also sent Remember When? some photos of The Royalists and another band, Howard and the Falcons, led by Howard Burnett.

He says: “Howard was a complete showman with the Rod Stewart looks and voice – but Rod couldn’t jump off the speakers into the splits and keep singing. Howard could... even with an artificial leg.

“When Howard left to run his pub, guitarist Eric (a legend in his own lunchtime) Holt was replaced by Lynden Welch and we had Smokestack, a heavy covers band.

“This line-up did clubs, universities and weeks away in Blackpool and other venues.”

John has heard that singer Howard has died.

John kept playing even when his job as Northern commercial sales manager and senior auctioneer with an auction company sent him all over the North from his home in Cleckheaton.

Latterly, he has been performing with Reload, a charity band he got together at the suggestion of his sister Mags, a musician who has stopped playing in public due to leukemia.

Reload, a three-piece covers band, consists of John on bass, together with policemen Max McLean on drums and Shaun Berry on guitar. Their repertoire ranges from Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones to Kings Of Leon and the Arctic Monkeys.

“We are currently working mostly the Keighley, Baildon side of Bradford, but would love to work closer to my side of town, Cleckheaton,” he adds.

Promoters interested in booking Reload can get in touch with the band via Shaun Berry on 07789 752816.