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A South Holland family are reunited with their mother again after nearly 60 years




A South Holland family who grew up believing their mother was no longer alive have been miraculously reunited with her after nearly 60 years.

Margaret Shimkus, formerly Inglis, (86), who was forced to leave behind her five children at their Spalding home in 1961, is in touch once again with her children Dave (64) and Ian Inglis (58), Diana Chapman (63) and Lizzie Oliver (61).

In February 1999, Dave asked the Lincolnshire Free Press for our help to try and track down his mother after he was given a photograph of them together dating back to the late 1950s.

Dave and Ian Inglis, Diane Chapman, Lizzie Oliver and Diana Chapman waiting to speak to their 'long lost' mother, and sisters in the USA, via social media. Photo by Tim Wilson. SG-140919-145TW
Dave and Ian Inglis, Diane Chapman, Lizzie Oliver and Diana Chapman waiting to speak to their 'long lost' mother, and sisters in the USA, via social media. Photo by Tim Wilson. SG-140919-145TW

Dave and his wife Sue, of Quadring, also approached The British Red Cross, Salvation Army and other organisations in their attempts to trace Mrs Inglis who now lives in Arizona, USA.

But everything changed just 11 days ago when a relative they never knew got in touch by email to let Dave know that his mother was still alive and that he has three sisters and a brother in the USA as well.

Dave said: "This is a massive thing for me and it's so overwhelming to know that Mum is still alive.

How the Lincolnshire Free Press reported on Dave Inglis launching a search for his mother in February 1999. (16704404)
How the Lincolnshire Free Press reported on Dave Inglis launching a search for his mother in February 1999. (16704404)

"I've never been so happy in my life because I'd been looking for my mum for 20 years during which my wife and I have contacted so many places to try and find her.

"But we just couldn't get anywhere until we found out that my sisters in America had been looking to contact us for a few years after hearing my mum talking to someone about us.

"I didn't think me, my brother Ian and my sisters would ever get closure and I thought that I'd never, ever see my mum again as long as I lived."

Dave and his family grew up in Royce Road, Spalding, before his mother left and moved to Huntingdon where she remarried and gave birth to four more children, moving to the USA during the period.

Margaret Inglis, formerly of Spalding, holds her eldest son Dave as the family dog looks on. Photo: SG-140919-142TW
Margaret Inglis, formerly of Spalding, holds her eldest son Dave as the family dog looks on. Photo: SG-140919-142TW

In total, Margaret has nine children, 17 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren who live on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

"Although I don't have any memories of growing up with my mum, I've thought about her all my life," Dave said.

"Then 20 years ago, someone gave me a photograph of us together which was when my wife and I decided to search for her.

Dave and Sue Inglis (third left), Ian Inglis, Lizzie Oliver, Diane Chapman and Julian Wheeler (Lizzie's partner) before speaking to their 'long lost' mother, and sisters in the USA, via social media. Photo by Tim Wilson. SG-140919-146TW
Dave and Sue Inglis (third left), Ian Inglis, Lizzie Oliver, Diane Chapman and Julian Wheeler (Lizzie's partner) before speaking to their 'long lost' mother, and sisters in the USA, via social media. Photo by Tim Wilson. SG-140919-146TW

"After a while, I thought that Mum had died without me knowing whether I had sisters or brothers in America.

"But then we got an email from the daughter-in-law of one of my sisters in America that they were looking for us.

"At first, my wife and I thought it was a hoax and so we asked her questions about our family to make sure that she was a relative."

Dave Inglis, Diane Chapman, Ian Inglis and Lizzie Oliver, with a photograph of their mother Margaret Inglis and a report from the Lincolnshire Free Press in February 1999. Photo by Tim Wilson. SG-140919-143TW
Dave Inglis, Diane Chapman, Ian Inglis and Lizzie Oliver, with a photograph of their mother Margaret Inglis and a report from the Lincolnshire Free Press in February 1999. Photo by Tim Wilson. SG-140919-143TW

A reunion by way of social media finally took place on Saturday when Dave, Diana, Ian and Lizzie spoke to their mother for the first time since 1961.

Lizzie said: "There's been lots of ups and downs over the last 11 days, with lots and lots of tears amongst each other.

"It's been a rollercoaster ride and neither my sister, nor I, have slept properly because we're asking ourselves so many questions.

April Patten, Helen and Joe Shimkus, Nora Margaret Stout, have been united with their brothers and sisters in the UK. Photo supplied. (16727737)
April Patten, Helen and Joe Shimkus, Nora Margaret Stout, have been united with their brothers and sisters in the UK. Photo supplied. (16727737)

"Our sisters in America say they feel for us because they've been brought up with their mum and dad, while we've missed out on having a mum.

"They told us that the last 12 years have been spent helping Mum try to find us and one of the strange things is that on Diana's birthday, we've found out that Mum is alive and that we have three more sisters and a brother."

Ian said: "It's a shock to the system when you think your mum is dead, only to be told 58 years later that she's alive."

Margaret Shimkus, formerly Inglis, now living in Arizona, USA. Photo supplied. (16727739)
Margaret Shimkus, formerly Inglis, now living in Arizona, USA. Photo supplied. (16727739)

Diana, who celebrated her birthday on Tuesday, said: "I remember little bits about my mum so it was a shock to find out that after all these years, I had the present of my mum on my 63rd birthday."

The family has launched an online fundraiser so they can fly to the USA to meet Margaret in person and anyone who would like to support it should go to https://www.gofundme.com and then search under the name "Help Reunite a Lost Family after 58 years".



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