After a ‘lifetime apart,’ they met up in Australia
Two brothers have been reunited for the first time in almost eight decades after they were separated as children after the Second World War.
Geoff Nobbs, 79, was born in the UK, the youngest of four brothers.
When their mother Florence died of cancer in 1945, their father Albert felt like he couldn’t cope with raising four sons whilst also working his demanding job.
So he placed Geoff, then a toddler, up for adoption while keeping his three eldest children Ted, Barry and John.
Geoff ended up being adopted by a couple who moved to Australia in 1951, when he was just seven years old.
After 77 years apart, Ted flew over to Australia to reunite with his long-lost brother.
“It has been an amazing experience meeting Geoff for the first time, it was unbelievable really,” Ted said.
Ted, Barry and John had all tried many times over the years to find their little brother, but to no avail.
But little did they know that Geoff had been doing the same, and managed to track down his brothers in 2014, four years after eldest brother John passed away.
Geoff and Barry began talking over Skype and on the phone, and started to get to know each other all over again.
And last Tuesday, Ted, from Rugby, Warwickshire, flew out to Australia to meet up with Geoff and his family in Sydney.
Sadly, Barry was too ill to make the 22-hour flight down under.
Retired factory worker Ted said: “It is something that I never thought would happen in my life.
“It has been an amazing experience meeting Geoff for the first time, it was unbelievable really.
“I’m stopping with Geoff currently, we’ve been having days out and getting used to Australia and then we’re off sightseeing.
“It really is something I never thought I’d get to do. I’m here for three weeks and determined to make up for lost time.
“It absolutely crunched me when he found us, I just didn’t think it would happen. There were a few tears shed.”
Geoff described it as an “overwhelming” and “amazing experience.”
He continued: “To think I’ve finally met my brother, it’s just beyond me.
“I’ve been showing Ted the sights, along the coast and then we’re off up towards the Great Barrier Reef this week.
“It’s been really emotional and I couldn’t wait to give him a big hug. We’re certainly going to show him a good time while he is here.”
Ted’s son Christopher helped arrange the meetup by sorting out the flights. He said he felt “relieved and so happy” that his dad had managed to be reunited with Geoff after “a lifetime apart.”
He added that his dad hadn’t been nervous at all and was only “excited” and “absolutely buzzing.”
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