Please help me find my brother for Christmas

A MOTHER-OF-THREE separated from her brother at six months old ishoping to be reunited with him this Christmas. Valerie Lock, 69,believes her real brother, Maurice Alan George Dobson, who was bornon October 25, 1941, is still living somewhere in Brentwood, thetown of his birth.

That she has only just started looking for the missing link toher past is largely down to the unhappy upbringing she experienced.

But now, 53 years after she discovered she was adopted, she isready to find him at last.

Mrs Lock, who lives in Forester Court, Billericay, said: "It'sjust that I'm getting old, and I wonder if there is anyone else outthere.

"If there is someone out there who is my brother, I'd like tomeet him.

"I'm just inquisitive. I just want to see what he is like.

"We could be passing each other in the street, for all I know.

"My aunt told me that he was a pretty thing with blond hair."

Mrs Lock started her search in October following a chanceconversation with a group of friends on a night out.

"We were talking about our lives," she said. "And I said I don'tknow who my real parents are because I was adopted, but I have abrother somewhere.

"My friend urged to me to start looking.

"Through the register office, using my own birth certificate as astarting point, we confirmed that I had a brother."

In fact her parents, Ernest and Eleanor Dobson, lived at 53 NorthRoad, Brentwood, when Maurice was born.

Valerie was born at Writtle Park, which records show was amilitary maternity hospital, on December 24, 1942.

Inquisitive Her search has now gone as far as it can - accordingto her own investigations Maurice lives in Brentwood, but he is ex-directory and she is now hoping to reach out to him through thepages of the Gazette.

It was not until she asked why fellow students had been bullyingher at The Billericay School as a youngster that she discovered shewas adopted.

She said: "My mother must have told one of their mothers. And shemust have said something in front of her children.

"It went round the school really fast. That really upset me.

"I've had a really terrible life. I feel bitterness towards myadoptive mother. Because as soon as she had children of her own, shedidn't want me.

"My aunt said my real mother gave me away like a bag of washing.

But it looks like she kept my brother. If he had been adopted hisname wouldn't be Dobson."

The active member of Billericay Methodist Church added: "I justhaven't bothered until now, but wouldn't anyone if they had foundout from their aunt at the age of 13 they were adopted.

"Whether he has lived in Brentwood all his life I don't know."But when I got the birth certificate I sobbed my eyes out.

"It may come as a shock to him. He might not know he has got asister. "It may open a can of worms. He might have children. Andthat would make me an aunt.

"As far as I know, we could be passing each other in the streetevery day.

"It's been a strange life, but there are people worse off thanme." Can you help Mrs Lock in her search? Contact the newsdesk on01245 603427 or email editorial@gazettenews.co.uk