St Albans woman’s search for foster sister of 70 years ago

LONG-lost friends and family can often be difficult to track down.

That is especially the case if one of the chums was only 18 months old at the time – which happens to be around 70 years ago!

And that is exactly the task St Albans resident Ann Graham faces as she tries to find Jennifer Hollingdale.

Jennifer was a baby when a young Mrs Graham, who now lives in Therfield Road, was evacuated from Stamford Hill, London, to Jennifer’s parents’ home in Longcroft Lane, Welwyn Garden City, at the start of World War Two.

Aged nine at the time, Mrs Graham stayed with Margaret and Stuart for two years and has many happy memories of the time.

Mrs Graham, 80, said that she would love to meet Jennifer, whom she defines as a “long-lost foster sister”, to describe how much her parents did for her.

“I would dearly like to contact their daughter, Jennifer, to tell her some of the wonderful things her parents did for me,” said Mrs Graham, who has been living at her St Albans home since 1996.

“For instance, they had a reproduction of Van Gogh’s A Wheatfield with Cypresses on their mantelpiece and I believe this accounts for me liking that artist. However, I was hopeless at drawing but when Mrs Hollingdale did my art homework I always got a star!”

Ann, who volunteers for Age UK, believes the family later moved to Brockswood Lane.

She added: “When Jennifer was a baby, in about 1940/41, I used to look after her.

“She won’t know me of course, but I have this photo of her [pictured] and hopefully she may recognise it or someone else in the area may know her name and be able to put us in touch.”

If you know Jennifer, who may have since changed her surname, contact Simon Wesson on 01707 384185 or email simon.wesson@archant.co.uk