A GREENOCK family whose emotional reunion was featured in a BBC documentary are still desperately trying to trace a long lost brother.

Television programme A Family Divided told the story of the Clarks, who were torn apart by poverty, neglect and the care system.

Now brothers Bernard, Andrew and Ian, who didn’t even know one another existed until two years ago, are continuing their search for their sibling Tommy.

He was one of 17 children from the family who were taken into care — and his whereabouts have remained a mystery for decades.

His loved ones have vowed to never give up on finding out what became of their brother as they prepare for a Clark gathering in May this year.

Bernard, who still lives in Greenock, said: “We do fear that he has passed away but we will keep searching.

“We will not give up.

“We have never been able to find out what happened to him and it would be great if we could find out before our Clark gathering.”

Tommy was born in 1945, the third child of William and Elizabeth Clark.

He was taken into care at seven years old and sent to the infamous Smyllum Park orphanage, where alleged abuse is now part of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry.

Two years later Tommy was moved and sent with his two brothers George and Jim to a farm in the Highlands.

The three brothers were brutalised by the owners and subjected to sickening abuse for three years.

Eventually welfare officers intervened and they were sent on to Nazareth House in Aberdeen and then Coble Haugh Home in Inverurie.

Despite suffering years of abuse Tommy was then sent to a farm training college where he excelled.

He joined the Royal Green Jackets regiment of the British Army, serving all over the world, and was part of the UK Protection Force for royalty and politicians.

But from then on his whereabouts are largely unknown. 

He made fleeting appearances in Dundee and Greenock, where his brothers and sisters lived.

Tommy had also been living in Gibraltar for a spell and married twice, having four children.

Some of the family, including Bernard, met his children two years ago but they do not know what happened to their dad, who it’s believed suffered from mental health illnesses.

No one has heard from him since 1987.

It was Bernard’s older brother George who first set about trying to reunite the family.

Bernard and his brother Ian Savage, who was adopted as a baby and now lives in Greenock, are currently helping their brother Andrew settle in to Inverclyde after he decided to move here.

He was the youngest of the Clarks and was tracked down 18 months ago thanks to the BBC film team.

Bernard, who was brought up in foster care locally with his sister Joan, said: “When we meet on May 27 there will be hundreds of us there and we owe it all to George.

“The first gathering last year was emotional and full of questions as we discovered our stories.

“Now the next one is full of hope for the future — we have a family now.”

http://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/news/15924872.Long_lost_brother_to_return_to_Inverclyde/