A COUPLE from Gulworthy have returned from a once in a lifetime journey across the pond, having met a whole branch of family they never knew existed. John, 68, and Dorothy Ladlow, 70, went to Canada in September for a family reunion they will never forget. Dorothy Ladlow, née Fawn, was raised as an only child and thought she did not have any relatives, apart from her parents and grandparents. But it wasn't until a few years ago that she realised she had a great family history and an extended family in Canada. Dorothy's grandfather, Herbert Fawn, was a skilled stonemason who, with his brother, worked in London 100 years ago. Herbert married and moved to Lancashire, while the other brother, Joseph Fawn, decided to emigrate to Canada. Herbert, who stayed in England, had one son — John, known as Jack, who was born in 1907. Jack married Florrie Chaffer in 1934 and had Dorothy who was born in 1937. Dorothy and John believe the reason why Herbert decided against emigrating to Canada was because Florrie, known as Polly, was crippled and could have had mobility problems. Dorothy said she had a vague idea she had relatives as her father mentioned an 'Uncle Joe' around 60- years ago when the family lost contact, but heard nothing more on the subject until 1994 when her father died. After his death, Dorothy and John sorted through his photographs and found one which would change their lives — it was of people standing in front of a Ford car, and a caption saying: 'Relatives in Canada'. Two years ago John discovered one of the Fawn cousins by extensive searching on the internet who lives near Niagara Falls in Ontario. Audrey Fawn of Canada, Dorothy's second cousin, had been researching her mother's side of her family, and in January 2006 contact was made between John and Dorothy, and Audrey. At last, this autumn, John and Dorothy made the journey to Niagara and a family reunion was arranged at a clubhouse on the shores of Lake Ontario with 25 family members in attendance. John said: 'It was very emotional to suddenly meet all these relations that we had no idea existed until very recently, who were all so very friendly and wanting to know all about our lives and families. 'Dorothy is so thrilled because she had always believed that she was the only Fawn left in the family.' And although Dorothy could hardly talk and was coughing for most of the two-week trip thanks to a severe chest infection, she found it an 'amazing experience'. Dorothy said: 'It was quite an amazing and emotional time. It's the hardest thing I have ever done. 'I was gobsmacked when I found out I now had a family in Canada, it was hard to take it all in.' Five generations of family now exist for Dorothy to keep in contact with and visit — an amazing experience for Dorothy, who grew up thinking she was the only Fawn left.
