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In 1966 I saw my mother for the very first time. I
was 22 years and she 38. This picture of her is at the age of 38 taken in
the United States where she had been living for 7 years when I first met her,
and had just got through her second marriage. She came over to England to meet me and we spent 6
weeks together which could only be described as "Heaven". I learnt
from her that I was the only child that she ever did have. She was
delighted to spend time with me, and discovered that although I had missed out
on having a mother she had also missed out of having a son. We keep in
touch and have spent many holidays in Florida where my mother resides, and
although she has not had the access that other grandparents have to their
grandchildren nevertheless my wife and I have spent time and money making the
4500 mile journey to spend time with her. Sheila has on occasions visited our
home here in Hampshire in the south of England, taking the opportunity to visit
old haunts in Liverpool in the north of England the place of her birth and the
place where she made so many friends. |
Aunt
Daisy one of my mother'saunts was the first person I ever met from my English
family. I visited her at her home in Handfield Street, Liverpool and although
she was very much against me meeting my mother and would never disclose her
whereabouts to me, she eventually decided to contact my mother who came to
England to visit me in the July of 1966. Aunt Daisy is pictured at the end of
the front row at the right of the photo. Next to her is Sheila my mother and
then next to her my Grandmother who had died before I met the family. My contact
with Daisy was through her parish priest. Being Roman Catholics it was through
that church that I made initial enquires concerning my family.
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Aunt daisy made all the arrangements for me to meet my mother
for the very first time, and she instructed me to meet her and my mother outside
of a public house in the Kensington area of  Liverpool,
called the "Sheil Park", on the junction of Prescot Road and Sheil Road. I had been waiting for some time outside before I spotted Aunt
Daisy
coming out of the pub, followed by a very smart and good looking women my
mother. They had spent some time inside getting false courage from the alcohol
that they had been drinking before they met me.. On that lovely English summer
evening in the July 1966, a night I shall never forget, the Sheil Park
public house was painted green and not the brown
seen in the picture.. Being only 22 years I needed some mature support meeting
my mother so I took along with me a good friend called Ted Eves. His sense of
humour was very helpful during what seemed a very long evening.
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When I left Fazakerley Cottage Homes I was
give n by mistake or
otherwise my Identity Card which was
issued to Under 16 year olds during the European conflict. It details on
the inside page my first address being 4 8 Handfield Street, then my stay at Mayfields in
Leeds, Yorkshire, part of the African Churches Mission, then my move to the
African Churches Mission in Liverpool, and then my enforced move to Olive Mount
Childrens' Hospital, and then to Fazakerley Cottage Homes. As you can see my
mother parted with me in September 1944, just 3 months after my birth. When I
was ready to search for my English family I had this vital document to help
me.
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The
house in which my mother lived when I was born. It is situated just a stones
throw from the famous Liverpool Football Club. 48, Handfield Street was a few houses
from the home of Aunt Daisy, and also living in the same street was my mother's
brother and family, and another of her aunts
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Grace
and my mother in 1966. I looked on Grace as my Aunt as she was involved with the
Cottage Homes "Aunt Scheme". She was the person also that gave me
every encouragement and help in tracing my mother.
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