The plane touched down at Heathrow at 7:40am, I picked up my hire car a soft top sports saloon. I had ordered a a bottom range basic car. As it was out of season they have to have so many miles on a car before they can sell it on. So I was lucky I now had a nice flash car, my luck was to begin 🙂
I arrived at my dad’s place in Hemel Hempstead it was Thursday.
On Saturday I speak to my helper in Timperley and find out that I have a half older brother called Clifford. I have 3 sons guess what I called the oldest? Clifford!
On Sunday morning after giving dad a big cuddle and assuring that I would not not love him any less. I set of for Timperley arriving around midday.
Being a Pom my instinct was to visit a local pub and ask the locals if any of the oldies knew the family. The first pub a few doors from where my mother had lived was full of youngsters. So of I set to another pub not far away, the ‘Quarry Bank Inn’. In the corner playing dominoes are all these very old boys. I go and speak to the oldest, asking ‘Do you know the xxx family’ ‘oh I used to work for sire xxx a coal merchant you know’. Jackpot he then tells me my Uncle Jack comes in to town each Wednesday to place a bet and they think he lives a couple of miles away. He is in his 80’s and not very well.
On Monday morning I go to the area where my Uncle is supposed to live and ask around, I have to keep how I got the address and leave it to your imagination who to ask. I drive a small distance and knock on this door. An old guy opened the door a bit unsteady on his feet. I say I am looking for Jack, he confirms he is Jack and I say I think I may be related. He says ’Oh I you better come in then and have a cuppa tea’
Jack rings his daughter not far away. He then digs out a picture of my Mother when she was about 8, this is my first chance to ever see her image and find it very emotional. He now calls in a neighbour who went to school with my mother and she is able to tell me lots about her.
I go and visit Jacks daughter, by the time I get there she has spoken to an Auntie and they have discussed if they should contact my brother who lives in Devon. Lucky for me they agree. He is at work I am told he will contact me in the evening.
At 7:15pm as arranged my brother calls me and we speak for the first time.
My Aunt had called my brother and spoke to his wife asking Clifford to call my number but not telling her why but just to call. She has said to my brother I think you have a brother and to call this number.
The only way this may have been in the back of her mind is that about 6 weeks before a family discussion had taken place with all the Aunties and they had mentioned that my mother had another child that was adopted. It had been a family secret only known by one of her sisters for 45 years.
It’s Monday evening and after a long chat I am invited to go and meet Clifford in Devon on Wednesday when he gets home from work at 5:30pm.
To be continued…..
Oldtimer.
hi, I was at birdhurst from Oct to Dec 1966 and had a baby boy, I was one of a very few at that time that kept my son. Although the staff , nurses , ect. were kind they very much tried to persuade you to give up the baby, in fact the adoptive parents were already in place and through the birth on you fed , bathed your child and the day you were to leave you went through this process and dressed the baby in an outfit you were obliged to bring with you and lay him/ her in one of those cots you mentioned and leave!!!! after that the adoptive parents came to collect your child…I witnessed many cries of anguish as these poor girls said goodbye to their babies. I escaped..I say that because I lied my way out when in fact my father had said I could come home for Xmas and then ” go back and finish my time” I just thought that if I could get out with him then I would take it from there. If you would like to hear the rest of my story you are welcome to email me. I remember everything, about the house ,our work duties, curfews, EVERYTHING. I would love to hear from you.
warm regards,
Margaret.