Pensioner just saw mum for first time at age 69

Davie Garrity never thought the day would come where he would be able to see his late mother.

But following a public appeal, distant family members got in touch with Davie to give him old pictures of his mum who sadly died in 1978.

Davie, from Glenrothes, said: “I never thought that I would see this day, I am so happy.

“Seeing what my mum looked like has been a dream come true. There are even photos of us together, which is amazing.”

The 69-year-old was taken into care at 14 months in the Glasgow area and was desperate to know what his late mother, Elizabeth Ramsey, looked like.

He was told from a very early age that he was abandoned by his mum, who worked as a bus conductor in Glasgow in the 1930s and 40s.

But it was only after tracking down his care records a few years ago he discovered that his mum had looked after him until he was 14 months old.

He discovered it was only following a period of ill health for Davie that the single mum took the heart-breaking decision to put him into care.

Later in life Davie applied for copies of his care records and found out his mum had tried to visit him in care and get access to him, but these had all been denied.

He started to look for his mum – who was known as ‘Aunty Betty’ by friends and family – but got the sad news she had died in 1978.

It was then he decided he needed to find out what she had looked like and began his search for pictures of his late mother.

But he received the sad news that she had died in 1978. His next step was to find out what she looked like, and the search for photos began.

Now Davie has thanked the family members for coming forward with the pictures, which include a treasured picture of his mum holding him as a baby.

He added: “Thanks to everyone who has helped to make this possible.”

Davie’s mum lived with her parents William Turnbull, a butcher, and Isabella Turnbull in the Linwood area.

She married Thomas Garrity, a motor mechanic in 1939, but later went onto marry again in 1954 to James Ramsey a general labourer.

She worked as a bus conductress for Glasgow Corporation buses in the 1930s and 1940s before going on to work in a bond warehouse store.

Davie was helped to find pictures of his mum by Future Pathways, which offers support to people who have been in care.

Flora Henderson, head of Future Pathways, said: “I am absolutely over the moon for Davie, this is a wonderful, heart-warming story and I am so pleased that Future Pathways has been able to help him.

“Please get in touch if you feel we can help you or someone you know.”