Dapto's Roy Baker reunites with long-lost English son on 90th birthday

Little did he know his long-lost father had finally found him.

Andrew Baker, 65, had no recollection of his dad, Roy Baker, 90, having been separated from him at the tender age of four.

Apart from his father's name, all Andrew was ever told by his mum was how Roy was determined never to see his son again.

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All Roy was told from his estranged wife was that his son had exactly the same attitude.

The truth was Roy, who moved to Wollongong from England about a decade ago, never stopped looking.

Almost 60 years later, Andrew says he's found the missing piece to his life's puzzle.

"You know all through your life there are moments like the first time you wear your army uniform or when you're selected for the football team and you want your dad there," Andrew said.

"Like most kids I would look to the audience but there was always an empty seat."

When Andrew grew older he started questioning more about his father's whereabouts but he knew it was a topic his mum quickly shut.

"A few years ago, my wife and I sought help from a friend who runs this ancestry thing but with just my dad's name we didn't get anywhere."

"On my mum's side the family tree went back to 1726 but on my dad's side there was nothing," he said.

On the other side of the world, Roy grew restless with the passing years and longed to see his "lad in England".

Wanting to fulfil her dad's wishes, Roy's daughter with his second wife, Mary Johnston, took it upon herself to reunite the father-son duo, seeking help from her family historian friend.

After weeks of hard work, she found success.

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"I knew I had to see dad the moment the letter arrived, it said dad had been looking for me. We got in touch with Mary and she sent some photos of dad and my family said I looked just like him," Andrew said.

Andrew and his wife soon jumped on a plane to Australia and travelled all the way to his old man in Dapto.

"I hadn't really processed it until I saw dad and froze, - Christ Almighty! I did look like him," he said.

Andrew described his homecoming as an emotional affair, his family was finally complete.

"Suddenly I had cousins, uncles, aunts I never knew I had. Dad's side of the family tree started branching and expanding," he said.

Roy recently celebrated his 90^th birthday with his newly found son and daughter-in-law. Historian Francis Cairns whose efforts brought the two together also was there.

"You could see how delighted Francis was to be able to turn around and see the fruits of her labour," Andrew said.

Roy said he was shocked when his son stepped through the door, having last seen him as a four-year-old school boy in a grey pullover.

"Dad kept that picture of me in my uniform from all those years ago, that's how he remembered me," Andrew said.

Andrew's mum passed away earlier this month while Andrew was in Australia.

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"I told dad and you could see his eyes suddenly overcome with sorrow as he realised what I said," he said.

Reasons behind Andrew's mum's exit from Roy's life are unknown to everyone but Andrew believes she probably had her own story

"She never talked about it, she was a closed book," he said.

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