Welcome, Ray, to the list.
You wrote, in your introduction...
"I eventually tracked down Bill Philbrook in Gillingham, Kent. What a man He was the last word in frame bulders. His shop was Dickensian. He had been foreman for Claud Butler and had worked with Roberts, Gillot and Ron Cooper and no doubt many more. At the time he hada young American called Jeff (I think)working with him who had worked for a very well known London builder . What horror stories he told me."
The American you mention was Jeff Lyon, who's still, so far as I am aware, building frames at least part time. (Jeff also leads fishing trips in Oregon.) He gives props to Bill Philbrook right on his home page, and his frames certainly tend to show an English influence.
http://www.totalbike.com/
I'd love to hear some of those horror stories Bill passed on to you! And I look forward to photos of your Philbrook.
Kris Green
Olympia WA