My Family Down Under... Part 1 – Last Link in the Chain
Posted on 6th November 2017 at 07:55
I’ve spent countless years trying to reconnect my grandad’s fragmented family and I have finally been able to put in the last piece of the jigsaw.
In September I spent an amazing three weeks in Western Australia with cousins that, 9 years ago, I didn’t even know I had!
One was my first cousin Sally.
My grandad had four children (that we know about!) with three women over a period of 40 years. My dad never knew he had two half-sisters, one of whom was Sally’s mum. For me, it was a sense of completion. I had now traced and met all my first cousins.
For Sally it was a more emotional experience as she had grown up in the aftermath of the devastation of our grandad leaving his first wife (Sally's grandmother). Fortunately Sally and I got on very well and we could lay some ghosts to rest and build a relationship for the future.
I stayed with Sally’s daughter Tanya, her husband Klaus and their two daughters, Kiara (17) and Bella (12). They made me feel very much at home and I fitted into to their daily routines as if we’d always known each other.
My visit inspired Tanya to revisit old family photos and memorabilia with me and her mum which re-affirmed her sense of identity and was also a great bonding experience. Kiara and Bella enjoyed having their big cousin from England come to stay. We had some great chats and quickly picked up on each other’s sense of humor. Bella shared her memory box with me and Kiara introduced me to the girls’ love for Geocaching!
If you enjoyed this blog and it has inspired you to find out more about your family, click here to take the next step.
Tagged as: Family Down Under, Family Tree Research
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