Long Lost Family foundlings

[Onefliesoverthecuckoosnest]

Just thought I would let everyone know that there are two Long Lost Family specials tonight and tomorrow on ITV1. They are following three foundlings and tracing their families using DNA.

Definitely worth a watch.

@stumbledin

I think the row of pics of other foundlings are people who they are also trying to help, rather than ones who they have not been able to help.

With regard to rape and one night stands, well with the DNA databases It is now a real possibility to find relatives. You submit your DNA and if by chance a relative has submitted theirs then the match will be made.

I guess all kinds of cans of worms can be released by the DNA databases, and not all will have a happy ever after story unfortunately.

Thanks twospaniels - as my name suggests I did rather stumblein to this programme and may have misunderstood.

About the DNA I think what i was trying to say where there are a number of children with the same parents it must be easier to say they are relatives.

But one child from two people who have no long term contact or other children it must be hard to find matches, ie no direct siblings.

Do people just give their DNA to be helpful or because they suspect they may have unknown relatives?! I never knew about this.

I’m an adoptee and have only recently felt able to watch LLF. I thought the foundling programmes were very interesting. I took a DNA test 2 years ago and, having gone from knowing nothing, am now in touch with my birth parents and a sibling who was adopted a year before me plus multiple cousins! I’m very happy and can’t believe how lucky I am.

LucyMarmiteLover - fantastic! And I LOVE marmite

Simon is just such a lovely man.
I'm glad that he has found his family and that they are so welcoming.

There was another catch up on last night and David and Helen have ANOTHER full sibling, a brother.

I don't know what to feel about this. I can understand a woman feeling she had to give up a baby. I can even understand that six years later she did the same again. But to do it three times in six years has taken my breath away a bit.

I know the reasons and background and circumstances could be anything, but I wonder how you'd feel as one of those three siblings to know that your parents had deprived you of those relationships.

I felt a bit the same way with that other man who found out he had loads of siblings but he was the only one to have been left.

The Mum in that particular case would have been late thirties early forties and had to give up three babies in six years. The Dad would have been early sixties with 14 children already born.

I bet she desperately wanted to have the family life that he enjoyed.

I can't help but wonder how old his youngest child with his wife was when his first baby with his affair partner was born.

@onlyreadingneverposting8

What shocked me was the mother's wider family refused to have her identity revealed. That even now they obviously feel there is stigma and shame around what happened. Whereas, the father's family didn't feel the same way. I got the impression Helen had mixed feelings towards her father when she found out and was identifying with her mother. 14 half siblings - 11 living must have been so so shocking. Helen, having been brought up in Southern Ireland must have immediately thought - "crikey have I passed one or more of them in the street and never known?!"

It's not obvious they feel stigma ans shame. Some people just like their private life private and have wish to be on TV.

have NO wish to be on .TV!

@ToffeeNotCoffee

The Mum in that particular case would have been late thirties early forties and had to give up three babies in six years. The Dad would have been early sixties with 14 children already born.

I bet she desperately wanted to have the family life that he enjoyed.

I can't help but wonder how old his youngest child with his wife was when his first baby with his affair partner was born.

His last child with his wife was born in 1960 (they ranged from 1938-1960), and David the eldest so far as we know was born in 1962.

The programme said their affair lasted for 'at least 30 years' but also mentioned 40 as a possibility. It didn't specify as to why that might be a possibility.

The mother was 34 in 1962 and the father 17 years older, so 51.