There was a reason for going to Liverpool on my travels this year, my younger sister has another family, and she had not met them before. This trip was to get everyone together and talk about the past many years …

We left Liverpool in 1962, as part of an Australian government sponsored migration effort (the £10 Poms, as we were known in Australia) and the older of my two sisters and I are the only ones to have travelled back to England since then, so this was a big adventure in more ways than one.

I had found Steph’s family through Ancestry, and had made contact with them last year. They were keen to meet so this trip was the result. I joined my sisters in Liverpool at the start of it.

Despite our different upbringings and life experiences we had a lot in common, and a lot to talk about. From my point of view I was meeting them as new friends, while Steph was meeting them as long lost relatives and it was good to see how they blended, laughing and chatting happily together once the initial nervousness dissipated.

Men of a certain age often have things in common, such as steam railways, scotch and an appreciation of fine ales; we also talk about work experiences and the similarities and differences. So it was with me; Steph’s brother Louis and I have more to talk about, and Ross and I share an interest in steam railways, and ales …

I think we’ll be back …