WHEN one of the oldest cabbies in Brighton picked up a copy of the Argus this week he could not believe his eyes.

Staring back at Ray Walters from the front page on Monday was the face of his long-lost pal, 99-year-old William Corrie, the retired policeman who nearly half a century ago failed him on his first test to become a taxi driver.

Mr Walters, 72, of Croft Road, Brighton, had not seen his old sparring partner for more than 30 years and mistakenly believed he had passed away.

So he was amazed to learn the former taxi inspector had been chosen as the first person born this century to represent Brighton and Hove for the next

millennium.

The 100 Faces will become famous as they lead the town's bid to become a city and take part in community projects to celebrate the 21st Century.

An emotional reunion between the two old friends took place on Brighton seafront where Ray runs a cafe as well as driving a cab a few days a week.

Their faces lit up with smiles of recognition the moment they caught sight of each other.

Mr Walters said: "To say I was flabbergasted when I saw him in the paper is an understatement. He hasn't changed at all, I recognised him immediately.

"I knew him in the days when taxis charged a shilling a mile and there wasn't a smarter policeman in town. Then he was known as sir or guv'nor and he was very strict."

Mr Corrie, of Patcham, said: "It has brought back so many memories. I remember Ray was always one of the cheerful taxi drivers, the rest could be miserable beggars. He hasn't changed a fraction, he's still the same old character."

Knowledge

When Mr Walters took his knowledge test to become a taxi driver in about 1950, after moving to Brighton from Wales, he failed first time and the advice from 'The Guv'nor' was: Buy a bike and get to know the town.

Two weeks later he passed with flying colours and the pair became firm friends.

Mr Corrie fought in the First World War and helped prepare Brighton for evacuation in case the town was invaded during the second. He joined Sussex Police in 1925 and one of his first missions was to regulate the cab business in Brighton and crack down on unscrupulous drivers fiddling their meters.

Mr Walters, who was chauffeur and minder to screen star Marlene Dietrich in the Sixties, explained: "When I became a taxi driver I was thrown into a den of iniquity. The old drivers knew all the tricks of the trade. One of them told me how he would put his foot down on the spring of the meter to make it tick faster.

"Bill used to walk around town like a ramrod and would appear out of the blue to check you were wearing your badge and your car was scrupulously clean. But he was very fair and what he did was needed.

"When I did my driving test on Carlton Hill he put a cigarette packet behind the back wheel and after I had driven off jumped out to see if I had squashed it!"

Mr Corrie added: "When I took over they were in a terrible state. I expected a certain standard and if it was reached I was happy. Mind you, I think I was an awkward old beggar in those days."

Now the pair have finally met again they are determined to stay in touch. They will celebrate Mr

Corrie's 100th birthday together on June 22, 2000.

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