Paul found an envelope addressed to me on the door mat two evenings ago when he took Rick out for his evening walk. I was rather mystified by it. There was a letter and two old photographs. One was of me aged about 13 years old and the other was of the cottage in Yorkshire where I lived with my mother and step father.
I was only 12 years old when my mother took me from Sussex to the Yorkshire Dales to escape an unhappy marriage. In the small village of Bainbridge she met, and subsequently married, a retired farmer. Frank was a kind and caring step-father to me but sadly their marriage did not last. Everyone said it wouldn’t work – the flighty young woman from the south and a much older, Yorkshire man. They were right. When I was 17 years old I came home from college one weekend and discovered my mother had moved to London. I had little alternative but to pack my bags and say farewell to the Dales and follow her.
The letter was from Frank’s great niece, Jill, who had seen me make mention of him in a comment on Weaver’s blog. Through this she had found my blog and managed to track me down, almost fifty years later. I shall treasure the photos as I have no others from this period of my life. Jill and I are now in touch via e-mail sharing memories of Frank and times past.
What a beautiful (and sad at the beginning) story, blogland can be a very positive place sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI have sad and happy memories of my life in Yorkshire.
DeleteThank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome.
DeleteIsn't blogging amazing.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is!
DeleteHow wonderful that Jill was able to find you, and how thoughtful of her to send you the photos!
ReplyDeleteShe did some clever detective work and found me through the estate agent that is selling our coach house.
DeleteHow very interesting Sue. I live so close to Bainbridge but can't recognise the cottage - I am sure it still exists. Bainbridge is a lovely village - there is a super care home there and we visit regularly to play ukuleles for the old folk there to sing to all the old tunes. I presume the farmer concerned has long gone but it would be interesting to know his name - there
ReplyDeleteare probably some of his relations still living and Imight well know them.
Glad also that you were traced via my blog.
His name was Frank Outhwaite and he used to farm Carr End overlooking Lake Semerwater. His brother, Sam, was a poultry farmer, living in Askrigg. When he retired he moved to Beech House in Bainbridge which is set back behind the Cornmill Tea Rooms.
DeletePS Are you still as pretty as you were when you sat on that village sign?
ReplyDeleteI was very chubby cheeked!
DeleteHow amazing. I have never heard a story like that in blog land before - tracing someone through a blog comment. Glad this particular part of the story had a happy ending.
ReplyDeleteIt was a huge surprise because I never had any contact with the family after I left the village all that time ago.
DeleteIsn't this amazing! A lovely and happy surprise for you Sue!
ReplyDeleteYou were very pretty then and I think you are still a very pretty lady now.
Greetings Maria x
Thank you Maria. In those days I just wanted to be thin with straight hair like Twiggy.
DeleteHow splendid that blogging has connected you with Jill after all these years. Interestingly, my distant family roots are in Carperby which is just a couple of miles from Bainbridge.
ReplyDeleteIt's a small world.
DeleteThat's an amazing story. I did once have a pair of cycling blog readers turn up here. They asked if I was Cro, and said they've have recognised Haddock's anywhere. I was too shocked to ask who they were!
ReplyDeleteIt wouldn't be easy finding us in France that's for sure.
DeleteThis is the pleasure of you writing and we reading snippets and feelings on your blogs. I real treat for you I hope, and we love to hear a good story. Thank goodness that this was a positive tracking down and not a nasty vindictive one that could be the case.
ReplyDeleteJill was very apologetic in her letter, she had been following my blog for a few months and was very keen to make contact.
DeleteHow did she get your address?
DeleteShe posted the letter to my estate agent asking them to forward it to me. Figured out which agent was selling my house from my blog.
DeleteOr Rightmove.
DeleteThat is an amazing 'bitter sweet ' story and in a way a tying up of loose ends for you. Lovely that Jill found you!
ReplyDeleteYes, happy and sad memories.
DeleteHow wonderful that you've made contact after all these years.
ReplyDeleteIt was quite a surprise after all these years.
DeleteI know Bainbridge well, we spent the first night of our honeymoon at the Rose and Crown. Confetti all over the place, we couldn't get rid of the stuff! My mother ended her long life at the care home in Bainbridge, built on the site of the old workhouse. The carers, all local folk, were simply marvellous and looked after her wonderfully well. She was very content to be there.
ReplyDeleteI'll keep a lookout for your house when I'm back in the Dales at Easter.
Such a small world. Did your mother live locally before she went into the care home? The old people's home was always referred to as High Hall or the Workhouse.
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