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The Victims: 'Jamie was very much in love and keen to settle down with Yvonne'

Matthew Beard
Tuesday 12 July 2005 19:00 EDT

Police named Jamie Gordon, 30, a financial controller from Enfield, north London, after his family and friends had been informed.

A search for him after last Thursday's attacks had been led by his girlfriend of seven years, Yvonne Nash, and friends, who put up posters of him in an attempt to gain more information.

"Jamie was a kind, caring person who always put other people first" said a statement released by Ms Nash, an events manager, and Mr Gordon's parents. "His great sense of humour and personable nature put him centre stage with family and friends. He loved life but didn't take it too seriously. He was very much in love with Yvonne and finally settling down with plans for a wedding and a family.

"Jamie comes from a large and close family and spent his formative years in Zimbabwe where he developed his love for horse-riding and tennis.

"Jamie enjoyed many family ski holidays, and was an accomplished guitar player and singer.

"Jamie touched many people's lives and the response to this tragedy is overwhelming.

"The family would like to express their thanks to the police family liaison officers, Detective Constable Bernie Looney and Detective Constable Sam Tatton, assigned since Saturday night."

Mr Gordon, who worked for City Assets Management in Old Street, last contacted friends at 9.42am last Thursday to say he was catching a bus from Tavistock Square, five minutes before a bomb exploded on the No 30 bus.

It was not his normal daily route - he would have taken another way to work from his Enfield home - but on Wednesday night he had stayed with a friend after a colleague's leaving party.

Philip Stuart Russell, 28, was also confirmed as among the dead yesterday. He had been evacuated from Euston station and rang his bosses at JP Morgan, where he worked as a report writer, to say he would travel to work by bus. It was the last time anyone heard from him.

"He was a much respected and liked member of the group," said the global head of JP Morgan asset management, Paul Bateman. Mr Russell's father, Grahame, from East Peckham, Kent, tried to ring Philip at work as soon as he heard about the explosions.

The number of formal identifications of those killed in the attacks now stands at five. The first victim of the blasts was named on Monday as Susan Levy, 53, from Hertfordshire.

Police have deployed a total of 74 family liaison officers to relatives' homes. They have taken the unusual step of sending officers to the homes of the relatives of those who are critically ill. About 50 families have visited the special support centre at the Queen Mother sports centre in Vauxhall, south London, which opened on Saturday.

A manager working for the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, is thought to be among those injured in the attacks. Thelma Stolzer, a board secretary at the London Development Agency, is believed to be in hospital after suffering serious injury.She worked as a legal adviser to the Greater London Authority before moving to the LDA.

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