TWO former Barrhead residents who left the town years ago have met for the first time – more than 3,000 miles away in Canada.

Alan Lachapelle and Margaret Duyn arranged to meet in St Catharines, Ontario, near the latter’s current home, after a Facebook group helped the pair realise they shared more in common than an interest in Barrhead.

More familiar to those in his home town as Alan Ramsay, the 52-year-old had mentioned childhood friend Robert Thomson in a post on the Barrhead: When I Grew Up There community page.

Before long, ex-Levern Crescent resident Alan, who now lives in Ajax, Ontario, received a response from Margaret to say that Robert is her nephew.

In a further coincidental twist, Margaret, who stayed in Victoria Road, also knew Alan’s great aunt, Annie Paterson.

Ever since, the two former Barrhead High pupils have kept in regular contact.

Now a litigation manager for dentists in Toronto, Alan left Barrhead as a teenager when his mum Christina, whose maiden name was Ramsay, made the move to Canada.

Her death at the end of last year led Alan on a trip down memory lane and eventually brought about his meeting with Margaret last month.

Taking up the story, Alan said: “A couple of years ago, I joined this Facebook group. I must have mentioned Robert Thomson in a post and this lady Margaret Duyn says Robert is her nephew.

“Over a couple years, it is mentioned a few times. I private messaged her to see if she knew any of my family because I can see from her posts she seems to know a lot of people.

“Turns out she knew my gran’s sister Annie Paterson. Turns out she also lives in Canada – about an hour-and-a-half from me.

“My mother died on December 23 and, while going through her stuff, I came across a couple of old baby clothes knitting patterns and Margaret pops into my head because I can see she sometimes posts pictures of knitted baby clothes.

“I private message her and ask if she wants them, to save me throwing them out.

“She says yes and, instead of mailing them, I tell her my daughter has a volleyball competition in her town in a few weeks and perhaps we could meet.

“When the time is closer, I private message her again and we agree to meet. She brought me shortbread, I gave her the patterns and we had a nice chat for over an hour.”

Alan is hopeful the encounter will help him to reconnect with more familiar faces from the past, notably his one-time classmate Robert, who is thought to live in London.

He added: “I showed Margaret some family pictures and she recognised some of my other family as well.

“She was going to notify a relative still living on Levern Crescent that we met and see if word could get back to Robert’s father and then perhaps Robert.”

If you know Alan from his Barrhead days and would like to get in touch, call 0141 435 8839 or email editorial@barrheadnews.co.uk.