IN the days of Whatsapp, Zoom and Facebook it seems barely credible.

But seventy years ago communication between the US and UK was expensive and almost impossible.

But thanks to a rare find in the States, details of a remarkable family reunion can be revealed.

Like so many after the Second World War, Sylvia Millington has moved to the States to marry an American GI, Henry Born, who had been stationed at Burtonwood.

Their son Wayne, who lives in Pittsburgh, sent us a clipping from the 1950s which helps document just how hard it was to keep in touch with loved ones.

Sylvia's mum, Mrs Millington from Sankey Bridges, was woken at 3am one Friday by her son to take her to his house (he had a phone) where a call was expected.

The story in the Guardian stated: "I never hurried more, not even into a shelter" said Mrs Millington.

"Within five minutes she was dressed and hearing her daughter greet her with a clear 'hello, mum, over'.

"But their conversation was not very long for Mrs Millington cried with the surprise of hearing her daughter's voice and had to hand the receiver to her younger daughter Hazel."

The phone call between Sylvia and Henry in Pittsburgh and the Millington family in Great Sankey cost £53 and lasted 53 minutes.

It actually took a surprise notice in the Warrington Guardian some weeks earlier for Sylvia to get to America, which she responded to and went to the US authorities in Liverpool where she was granted a visa to travel to Pittsburgh and reunite with Henry.

Within a month she was on her way to America.

In the phone call, recalled in the newspaper clipping, Sylvia told the family she had sent parcels of clothes and spoke of the wonderful conditions in America where there was no 'rationing' and clothes were wonderful and colourful rather than the dowdy items on sale in the UK.

 

A copy of the paper

A copy of the paper