Family reunited half century on

Published: May 20, 2006 | 4195th good news item since 2003

After years of searching in vain, the Lawrence family had all but given up that they would ever be reunited.

Sent scattering to opposite ends of the country by the war, the brothers and sisters spent years trying to track one another down.

But yesterday, the heartbreak of half a century was replaced by joyous scenes when they were finally reunited.

Dawn Wethered, 67, who now lives in Buckinghamshire, had not seen her brother Henry Lawrence, 70, since 1954 when he paid her a visit during a day’s leave from the armed forces. She had also not seen her stepsisters, Marion and Julie, in that time and had never even met her youngest stepsister Alma.

The siblings had been split up as a result of the war and other family problems and Mrs Wethered left Norfolk when she was just three – only meeting with the rest of the family on odd occasions until they lost contact 50 years ago.

But she and her brother were finally together again yesterday lunchtime for an emotional reunion at Mr Lawrence’s home in Lakenham, Norwich.

Mrs Wethered said: “It just doesn’t feel real, I didn’t even have any photographs of my parents or sisters and brothers, so it is amazing. I was about 16 when I last saw Henry, he was in his uniform and I remember not knowing whether to shake his hand or not. Then he was gone again.”

Mr Lawrence said: “I have been searching for her on the internet and through newspaper ads for years and it was her son Justin who finally got in touch with me via the computer.”

Published in Reunited
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