Pleased as Punch to find Blackpool puppeteer Joe

Martin Scott Price will be launching the new museum at his Pelham Lodge hotel in summer and put out an appeal earlier this month to find Joe Green.

Joe entertained the crowds in the resort during the 1960s and 70s with his Punch and Judy puppet shows. Martin wanted to track him down as he had seen Joe perform when he was a child.

He said: “I have tried really hard for a number of years to find him.

“It was super to finally meet him after all these years and thank him as well for inspiring me to become a puppeteer.”

The General Street museum will commemorate Punch and Judy and will include Pelham puppets, Sooty and Sweep - with a dedication to Bill Lamb, the founder of Sooty in Blackpool - and live Punch and Judy shows.

Martin says he would like Joe, who lives in South Shore, to be at the opening of the event.

He said: “I’ve asked Joe to come along to the opening but he is unsure if he will be well enough to make it.”

Joe’s wife Jean got in touch with Martin after seeing a story in The Gazette about the new museum.

Joe said he was happy to talk to Martin and added: “I got to meet up with Martin and wished him well for the new museum.

“He has invited to go along to the museum anytime I want when it opens which is a very nice offer.

“I retired after spending 37 years as a puppeteer and my family had done it for 104 years so it will be nice to see.”