Brothers find long-lost sister

10:07am Saturday 6th October 2007

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A WOMAN who was separated from her family for 70 years, lost' in a maze of care institutions, has been found by two of her long-lost brothers and living in Macclesfield.

The story of 85-year-old Jean Gambell made the news this week when it was revealed the former cleaner was sectioned and sent to Cranage Hall mental institution, in Holmes Chapel, in 1937 after being wrongly accused of stealing 2s. 6d. (just 13p) from the doctors' surgery where she worked.

As time went by Jean, originally from Birkenhead, and her family lost touch as family members died and Jean was moved from home to home - spending time at the Mary Dendy Hospital in Alderley Edge and The Willows in the grounds of Macclesfield College on Park Lane before, earlier this year, being moved into Warwick Mews on the Western Estate.

However, an administrative fluke at the beginning of this summer set the wheels in motion for an emotional reunion with her two long-lost brothers, David, 63, and Alan, 66.

Retired factory-worker David said: "It was amazing - out of the blue this questionnaire was sent to the family home from Warwick Mews. I was about to scrap it but then I noticed the name Jean Gambel pencilled in the top right-hand corner.

"I thought Jean had long since passed away so I phoned my brother Alan and between us we decided to ring the home. When they told us she was there we couldn't believe it."

The brothers soon made the trip over to Macclesfield from Birkenhead for an emotional reunion with their sister.

"You couldn't buy the magic of that moment," added David. "We're not upset or angry at the time we've lost - we're just happy to be back in touch. We give her flowers and little presents and she's always so grateful. She doesn't have an ounce of bitterness in her body."

Jean is currently in Macclesfield General Hospital recovering from a mild stroke but, now they are back in touch, her brothers plan to pay her regular visits.

David added: "She's on the mend and we're planning on coming to visit her as soon as possible. It's just great to be able to do all the things families normally do. We can send birthday and Christmas cards to a sister we thought we'd lost and that's just amazing."

christopher.hidden@commnews.co.uk