We left the story in 1983, life moved on with a emigration from Nottingham UK to Australia in 1986.
A series ‘Reach for The Sky’ on TV has just concluded. This was followed by a program on a young lady searching and finding her father. They meet on a railway station with ‘The first time I saw his/her face’ song playing in the background as the train pulled in. This had a very emotional effect on me.
The information given to me by my adoptive parents was that my father was a Polish fighter pilot. The ‘Reach for the Sky’ TV series was all about the Battle of Britain. Then the adoption program, within minutes I had decided it was time to go and find out who my natural parents were and did I have any brothers or sisters?
I would be 45 in a few weeks.
November 3rd 2011. I have started a diary and some comments from that day follow.
“It is now 3 weeks since I decided to find my mother. It seems like months, I have written many letters written to UK. I have booked a trip to the UK. I shall leave on the 21st November and be away 51/2 weeks”
I know my mothers address back in 1946 and have contacted a local historian in the UK. I find out that my family was well known in the area but have moved away. The lady mentions that my mother may be dead but she thinks there was a son. I get off the phone upset that my mother may be dead, but the though that I may have a brother cheers me up. I later found out that my mother died in 1960 aged 37 from cancer, when I was 14.
I now visit the Melbourne State library where that have the UK ‘Kelly’s directories for Timperley area. From these I find out some family history and who the neighbours were.
I have sent for my full birth certificate from the GRO in Southport and hope it has my Mother & Fathers names and ages. I have also found out that the family home was pulled down in 1969.
My mother apparently had 3 sisters and a brother. It’s surprising what you can find out when you look.
Birth certificate arrives on 5th November. No fathers name 🙁
My birth mothers death was confirmed on 18th November. I had just updated my daily diary with all my hopes of finding my mother alive and well, then I phoned my helper in UK to be told she was dead.
All ready for the trip. A local map, the name of my Mothers brother, the sisters have moved away no idea where brother is or if he is alive.
21st November just about to land in Brisbane on my way to UK
to be continued…
Oldtimer