28/09/2024
This last month has been personally rewarding for myself when helping solve a neighbour's ancestry puzzles. This neighbour who has been a neighbour for over ten years, I never knew he was the half brother of a dear dear friend and class mate of mine until we left school and lost touch. I found my friend too late, he from my own research about five years ago had passed away. But I so longed for some photos of him.
From my research for my neighbour I suddenly noticed that his Mother had the same name and details of my dear friend at the time of researching my friend. I only researched his Mother and Father who I knew well. I did not research if his Mother had been married before so I assumed all my friend's sibling's back then when I was young had the same Father.
I asked my neighbour about his Mother and my dear friend, I told him his name and he explained my friend Neale was his half brother from his Mother's second marriage and that Neale was the 6th child, the baby of the family that came from that second marriage.
It was one of those amazing BINGO moments !
I did ask my neighbour how possibly we did not regonise each other when we must have grown up only roads away from each other but he said he was a much older brother.
But what came from this was that my neighbour shared so many photos of my dear friend Neale from a tiny tot, growing up, his wedding day and his funeral and even told me where his ashes were laid so I could and have visited a few times. On my visit's there I have chatted away to Neale to tell him just how thankful I was for his years of friendship, school fun, park fun and how he stood up to my bullies and taught me how to stand up to them myself and the self defence lessons he gave me.
This is just one of the many reason's I adore ancestry and family history work its always full of amazing twists and turns, unique surprises, bitter sweet turn ups, treasured photographs, and often being reunited with people that are important to you and are a big part of your life.
What will you discover?
RIP sweet Neale
You will be remembered at the big school reunion and open day Im organising and your best friend Garry also a friend of mine will also be remembered too he too was taken too soon.
See you both on the other side of the stars!