1981

Been married.
Had a lovely son, Robert. He was 3 years old, and had severe learning disabilities, my little Angel!
Been divorced.
Was was in a steady relationship.

One spring day, I was with Mum, and we started to chat. We were talking about all the things that she did as a child that got her into trouble, all the things that I had done that got me into trouble..(of course, there weren't many of them, lol!).
Mum talked about Ken and Bert.
I listened.
Mum was very sad. I asked her if she wanted me to try to find them. I had their names, I knew that they were from Weston-Super-Mare, their ages.........
Mum said that she would love it.
I said that I would check it out with Dad first, because I would hate to upset him.
Mum smiled and agreed...you know, one of those 'knowing' smiles that mean more than your 'regular' smile.
Hmmmmmm.....

I decided to waste no time, and arranged to meet Dad for lunch.
We went to a little Cafe close to his place of work.

I told Dad what I intended to do, and asked him if he was O.K. with it.
Dad gave me one of those 'knowing' smiles.
(Me thinks there's more to this than meets the eye, Ooooo Arrrr).

Dad said that he was fine with this, he then went on to tell me that he too, had a son.
You could have knocked me down with a feather!

Dad told me the story.
When Dad was about 19, he had a relationship with this young woman.
She became pregnant. He asked her to marry him.
The young woman was living with her Aunt
The Aunt would not let the young woman marry my Dad as he came from the 'rough' part of the city.
Not sure of the facts now, but I think that they moved so that my Father couldn't find them.
Anyway, the child was born, a boy, and was put up for adoption.
In those days, when a child was adopted, names were changed, the child usually moved far away from the original place of birth and conception, there was no way of finding them.
Dad became all melancholy, and he had a tear in his eye. He seemed very vulnerable.
O.K. I said. I will find him too.

Dad explained that he had been trying for many years, with no success. Although he knew where to go for information, they would not give him any.

Mum knew of Dad's child and Dad knew of Mum's children.

When they first married, they wanted to bring my mother's children and my father's son to live with them as a family. I was born and their dream was to have all 4 of us together.
I remained an 'only' child.
Dad had written letters galore from the time of his sons birth to get  custody or at least some information.
Mum had been sending letters, cards and gifts since she had to leave her sons.

Tomorrow, the search begins.