Living Relatives

One day I was emailed by one of the popular family history sites to announce they were starting a new service to help trace living relatives.I logged on.Daddy was the eldest child of Eva and Frederick and would have been 88, if he was still alive, but as his sibling birth certificates revealed some of them were only in their 70's.Could any possibly still be alive?Luckily the brothers would not have changed their names, unless of course they were adopted.Having an unusual surname must help, surely it must be worth a try at 60pence a go. I typed in Corben and Bedfordshire no luck then oh! they're giving me another go I deleted Bedfordshire and quickly typed in Hampshire.Quess what ,only one name came up.Was it brother"X"?I wonder.I couldn't sleep,I was so excited.Had I hit the jackpot?By 5am I was awake and writing him a letter.I had his full postal address as what I'd searched had been the electoral role.I enclosed a photo of my Mummy and Daddy with us four children not long before Daddy died.A simple letter asking for help ,with a short questionnaire attached, asking things like,where were you born?what year?who were your parents and if you don't know do you know anyone who might.I asked for Daddy's photo back thinking that might appeal to them to contact.Within four days I had a reply by phone.No it wasn't Daddy's brother, but I later was able to prove that it was his son,of the same name.Wow!My first cousin communicated through his carer but I could hear my cousin's enthusiasm as he gave the carer instructions to write me a letter.Shortly afterwards the letter arrived, complete with some helpful details and our family photo.I was shortly contacted by his elder sister who said they had never had any relations until Evelyn's mother was found in recent years.Evelyn's mother had been found because the records of her being a nurse had proved helpful.This family,like us,knew nothing of the siblings or parents.Eva had given birth to this,possibly her last child ,in a workhouse.He was in a care home until he joined the services I believe.This anonymous brother is still alive and living in France with another son.He will not be told about his brothers, after all,as his daughter says, it is sad enough to grow up never knowing you have five siblings, without now knowing and never being able to perhaps find any left alive.However, I have contact with this first cousin and even though she lives in America I have met her and she has given me photos to treasure.I even had my photo taken with her.She looks very similar to my Daddy.Sadly her younger sister,who unknown to me lived 14 miles from me,died this year.It was very difficult to loose a cousin I had never even met.This is all part of finding another missing piece in the jigsaw.This bittersweet journey continues...