A group of Lowestoft evacuees visited Glossop this week by minibus for a special private reunion. As a result of contact made with 95-year-old Kathleen Greenwood of Glossop during last year's visit by Lowestoft evacuees, Fred Welton of Waveney Drive has been traced and been able to communicate with her for the first time since 1940.

A group of Lowestoft evacuees visited Glossop this week by minibus for a special private reunion. As a result of contact made with 95-year-old Kathleen Greenwood of Glossop during last year's visit by Lowestoft evacuees, Fred Welton of Waveney Drive has been traced and been able to communicate with her for the first time since 1940. She expressed a dearly held wish last year that she would like to see the Elton twins she took in with their mother back in October 1940 when they were desperately looking for accommodation. As a result of an article written by Chris Brooks, Lowestoft Evacuees chairman in the local press last autumn, Brian Welton contacted the Lowestoft Journal office saying he believed it was his brother Fred and twin sister Betty being referred to. Richard Wood, a reporter of the Lowestoft Journal emailed the chairman of the Lowestoft Evacuees committee and contacts were established that led to this special reunion taking place on Wednesday, April 29, courtesy of the Lowestoft Evacuees Association. The Lowestoft group's programme for the day included a visit to the Glossop Heritage Centre at 10am, small reunions at the George Hotel over lunch and supper and the Greenwood/Welton reunion in the afternoon at Mrs Greenwood's home, last visited by Fred Welton in 1940. It is hoped that photographs of the occasion will be available for all to see soon and also at the summer reunion of Lowestoft Evacuees on Saturday, June 6 at 11am the Stella Maris Hall, Gordon Road. Peter Glover, a former Glossopian who married a Lowestoft evacuee Sheila Catchpole and knew many of the Lowestoft evacuees and their Glossop hosts, was unable to be present this week at Glossop but will travel to Lowestoft for a few days holiday to attend the summer reunion where he hopes to renew acquaintanceships formed nearly 70 years ago.