Twins are making headlines again – 80 years on
TWINS – who were born on different days – are looking forward to celebrating their 80th birthdays this year.
Tom Gorman and Mary Allen (formerly Gorman) were born at their home in Birkdale, in Southport, in 1938 – 10 years before the NHS was founded.
The pair were born at a time when ultrasound scans were not around, leading to the siblings making headlines for being born on different days.
Mary, who lives in Tarleton, said: “My twin brother and I are celebrating our 80th birthday this year, after making headlines at the Southport Visiter in 1938.
“At the time, it was snowing terribly and our midwife delivered me at 9pm on December 3, and rode home on her bicycle promising to return in the morning. She wasn’t aware that our mother was having twins, and she returned to deliver Tom at 6am on December 4.
“We were born into a different world.
“Our birth was in the news because it’s odd for twins to be born on separate days, and it used to be very unusual for twins to survive – but we did.”
To celebrate their 80th birthdays, they are planning a family reunion on July 28 – rather than in the winter, when their actual birthdays are – to make the most of the sunny weather.
They plan to go for a meal at San Marco, in Tarleton, before visiting the Marine Lake and going bowling in Southport.
Mary, who has one daughter, Theresa, formerly worked as an advertising executive for the Southport Visiter for 12 years.
Dr Tom Gorman, a professor of linguistics and a doctor of philosophy, has taught English all over the world – including the USA, Africa and Poland.
He has four children, one of whom is film and TV star Burn Gorman – well known for his roles in Game of Thrones, Torchwood, Jamestown, and Coronation Street.
Mary has five generations in her family, with three grandsons, four great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter.
Tom, who has been married to his wife, Johanna, for more than 50 years, has 12 grandchildren and three greatgrandchildren.
Mary said: “We are holding the celebration to allow our family from all over the world to get together for an international reunion.
“We want our families to meet and get to know each other and keep them together. It isn’t very often we get this opportunity.”
Both twins have gone on to lead exciting lives, with Tom being the first Irish Catholic student from grammar school to get a scholarship at New College, in Oxford, and Mary becoming a champion waterskier.
Mary’s husband of 56 years, Ken, is also a champion waterskier and still continues to take part in the sport on the Marine Lake at the age of 80.
Since the birth of Tom and Mary, twins have continued in their family – but they are not sure if they were the first twins on their family tree.
Mary explained: “We don’t know for sure if we were the first twins in the family, as our parents were Irish and we were born just before the Second World War started, so we have no records of our history.
“I suspect that we might have been the first, though.”