Owner reunited with 'sentimental' ports

Two ports held by a husband and wife born more than 110 years ago have been reunited with their owner.

The ports were found along with a key in Staines Park and handed to Surrey Police.

They belonged to Dorothy Hickman, who was born in Stoke Newington in 1911, and her husband Mark Hickman, born in Greenwich in 1912. Surrey Police said the couple had a son called David, born in 1940.

Officers thanked the public for their help in getting the ports back to their owner, who is said to be "delighted" with the result.

Police said “normal” lost ports would be sent back to the port office to be cancelled.

In their initial post on social media, the Spelthorne Beat police Facebook page said: “We believe they may be of sentimental value to someone and would love to get them back to their home.”

In an update today, the page revealed the documents had been returned to their owner.

Mrs Hickman's photograph appears in her husband’s port, where he is listed as the bearer and she as his wife.

She appears alone as the "bearer" in her own port.

Until 1988, a wife or husband could be included on each other’s ports if both were British citizens.

Children could be included on the port of any family member up until 1998, since when they have been required to hold their own port.

A 1957 Parliamentary debate saw Cardiff North MP David Llewellyn ask if steps would be taken to address why a husband, but not a wife, could travel on a t port.

The response, according to Hansard, the official report of all Parliamentary debates, came from William Ormsby-Gore.

It said: “At international conferences on port and frontier formalities it has been agreed that ‘the head of the family may travel alone with a t or family port, but it cannot be used by his wife and children travelling without him. It is understood that widows should be regarded as heads of families.'”

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