A FAMILY separated by fate more than 100 years ago have been spending their first Christmas together.

Descendants of a mother and daughter separated at the turn of the 20th century met for the first time just before Christmas at a reunion party at Liskeard’s Royal British Legion Club.

Tammy Edwards and her daughters Charlotte and Annabelle Holmes made the long journey from Australia to meet the Cook, Mathews, Blackmore, May, Mitchell and Ruskin families.

The Australian guests are all descended from Ellen Wheeler, who emigrated in 1912 with her new husband Thomas Strowbridge.

Ellen had left her Lewannick home after giving birth to her illegitimate daughter Jane Spry Wheeler in 1899; after 1912, mother and daughter were never to see each other again and the circumstances of Jane’s birth became forgotten.

But Julia Cook, grand-daughter of Jane Spry Wheeler, heard the truth from her mother Margaret when researching her family history, and the research led to last week’s reunion.

The English families are all descended from Jane, who met and married dairyman Leonard Olver in 1922 in St Germans – where Leonard worked on the Port Eliot estate. Later, the Olvers farmed at Trehunist, Quethiock.

‘It’s an emotional occasion,’ said Julia. ‘It’s such an amazing story and we’re thrilled to be here,’ said Tammy.