My Mother and her family
Many years ago my mother and her sister, Margaret lost touch with one another. We searched on the internet hoping to find a trace but when my mother passed away we were still no nearer finding her sister and her family.
My mother used her stage name Helene rather than her given name Gladys - as Helene was the name she was known by in the theatre.
On 24 February 2004 I received this e-mail:
" My name is Margaret Kinghorn, nee Walton. Your mum, Gladys, was my older sister, although we lost touch many many years ago. I have tried to find you all for many years, even trying the Salvation Army tracing service, but with no success . My youngest daughter, Anne, found your website last night and we were so excited, although very sad to hear that Gladys had passed on in 1997. If you would care to make contact it would be lovely to hear from you. Just out of interest we have just been working out that it is at least 45 years since we were last in contact and have always felt as if something was missing. Hoping to hear from you. Love, Margaret and Ken Kinghorn"
Margaret has very kindly supplied these photographs which are the only ones I have of my mother's family - thank you Margaret!
My mother aged about two
| My mother with her father John Walton - taken in about 1928 |
My grandfather, Aunt Margaret and my grandmother
My grandmother taken outside the Cornish house when she was staying with my father's mother.
Margaret wrote to me "You have three cousins. Jonathan, who is 37 and lives in Kendal in the Lake District. He is married with 2 children. Helen is 35 in April, and also has 2 children and is currently living just outside New York. Anne, the youngest, who found you for us, is 28 and living close by in Morley".
It is wonderful to be back in touch and this proves the power of the internet and how it can bring families together across the miles.