Lost memories sent 283 miles to Blackpool

A former Haywards Heath grandmother has said she is ‘over the moon’ after being reunited with her lost memories.

The Mid Sussex Times reported in the February 14 edition how an envelope filled with newspaper cuttings and photographs had been found in a Haywards Heath flat.

Carla Spear, who lives in the flat, said: “In the process of taking out the old kitchen the workmen found a brown envelope that had fallen behind the unit and got stuck behind the pipes.”

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Carla said at the time that she hoped she would be able to reunite the family with their lost treasures. She had tried a couple of Haywards Heath and Balcombe phone numbers to no avail.

Christine Knights, who used to live in the flat but now lives in Blackpool, contacted the Middy to say Catherine and John Walsh, of Kiln Terrace, Stacksteads in Lancashire featured in the newspaper clipping were her mum and dad.

She added that the young boys, Jordan and Adam, were her grandsons and now aged 18 and 16.

She said: “I just can’t believe it, I am over the moon. I thought they had been lost forever.

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“When I moved out I just assumed they had been chucked away by accident so to be able to get them all back, well it is just amazing.”

Christine was married to James Eldergill but later remarried.

She moved out of Haywards Heath in 2000 and had lived in Balcombe.

Christine’s sister-in-law still lives in Sussex and phoned her to tell her about the story in the paper.

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“I just couldn’t believe it. She told me that some of my photos were in the paper so I went on the website and saw the cutting about my mum and dad’s wedding anniversary. I was completely shocked,” she said.

In the stack was an old school picture from St Joseph’s, Stacksteads, and the photo of a woman (inset, above), which had a receipt from Olan Mills, is of Christine which was paid for by a friend.

“My friend was having one done and asked me if I wanted to have a go as well so I thought why not,” Christine said.

She added that she had no idea how the envelope got behind the cabinets but was thrilled that it was found and couldn’t thank Carla enough.

Carla said: “This is just amazing. I’m really pleased to have such a quick response and glad she’s happy I found them.”