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| Paul Mayhew with wife Glennis |
FORMER Genesis drummer John Mayhew has died just days after his brother mounted
a search for him, the Evening Star can today reveal.
Mr Mayhew died of a heart-related condition on March 26, just two days after his
Ipswich-based brother Paul began a search for him to heal a decades-old family
rift.
Paul, 71, of Roundwood Road, had not seen his brother for 18 years and had
little to do with him since the early 1970s.
He had wanted to patch things up with his sibling and had believed he was living
in New Zealand.
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| John Mayhew |
Paul said: “My brother passed away last week just a day before his birthday. I
had found where he was - he was in Scotland working for a furniture company.
“He was an alcoholic and had heart problems.”
Paul, who is planning to visit Scotland to attend the funeral, said he was very
upset that he was unable to put things right between he and his brother.
Fighting back the tears he said: “Someone contacted me who had known John and
where he was. They had seen I was looking for him on the Evening Star website.
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| John Mayhew (far right) in his Genesis days |
“I don't have all the details yet. I'm very, very upset to get this news.”
The brothers, who had a ten year age difference, grew up together at the family
home in Macaulay Road.
Speaking to the Star previously, Paul said: “I was in my 20s when we lost touch.
Our parents split up and I went with our mother and John went with our dad.”
Do you remember the Mayhew family? Are you a fan of Genesis? Write to Your
Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send an e-mail
to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk
TRIBUTES have been paid today by one of John Mayhew's closest friends.
Theresa Howie said she knew Mr Mayhew for the last four years of his life.
She said: “John was friends with my younger brother since he moved to Glasgow
and John lived round the corner from us. We knew he was a drummer with Genesis
but he didn't like to boast about it, though he would talk about it if we asked
him.”
Theresa said she had asked John about his family but said he thought his brother
had died.
She added: “When he died the state was going to pay for his funeral but I
thought I better check if there was any family. There was no wife or children.
“I looked on the internet and found the story that his brother was looking for
him just days before he died. It was very strange.
“John had heart problems and he was being looked after in hospital when he died.
“It was very sad he didn't see his family, it was a tragic end.”
Paying tribute to Mr Mayhew, Theresa said: “John was a legend and deserves
recognition.
“He was a wonderful man, he was always smiling and would help out anybody.
“He was very good to my family. That's how I'll remember him.”
