Late or Traumatic Learning of Adoption

Bloodvessel, Buster

Douglas Trendle was born in Stoke Newington, London, and raised by his great-aunt and -uncle, believing his mother was his Auntie Lily. He overheard that he was adopted when he was seven: &... [more]

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Cole, George

Cole was placed for adoption at 10 days of age but did not find out until he was eight, when he found his papers while looking for Christmas presents. He was raised in a council house, l... [more]

Cookson, Catherine Anne

Cookson was born to a young unmarried woman and raised by her grandparents. Until she was seven she thought that her mother, Kate, was her older sister, and finding out that she was illegit... [more]

Fisher, Florence

Fisher (she has reverted to her birth name) spent 20 years, from the age of 22, searching (successfully) for her birth parents in the face of nearly total official and family opposition. H... [more]

Ford, Gerald R.

Ford was born Leslie Lynch King, Jr. His parents separated a few weeks after he was born and were divorced when he was two. After his mother remarried he was adopted by his step-father, Ger... [more]

Hyde, Joseph Peter

Hyde was born in Germany to a married couple. When he was one or two his mother died of cancer and his father, unable to cope alone, left him in an orphanage. After a few months he was adop... [more]

Lifton, Betty Jean

Lifton was adopted aged two. When she was seven her mother told her she was adopted, but it was so shameful that she should never let anyone know, and she must never let her father know she... [more]

Love, Makere Rangiatea Ralph

Love was born on Arapawa Island, Queen Charlotte Sound, a descendant of important Maori chiefs. When he was three days old he was given to a great aunt, Nui Te He, and her husband, Hoani... [more]

Maui

Maui was miscarried by his mother, the goddess Taranga, and abandoned for dead. She cut off her hair, wrapped the baby in it (hence the epithet Tiki Tiki a Taranga: Taranga's Topknot), and ... [more]

Nazi Germany

Three special aspects of this terrible time are related to adoption. These are in addition to the orphans and separated families created when foresighted Jewish parents sent their children ... [more]