Help in tracing someone....

Russman

Hi all,

Sorry for the vagueness of this, I'm sort of looking for a starting point in tracing a long lost family member, or the best direction to go with my search.

Basically my grandmother gave birth to my father in 1944 when she was 16, but he was fostered out and he never had any contact with her. He's obviously now 75 and has always wondered what happened to her, why he was fostered, if she had any children in later life etc. etc. I suppose there's even a chance she could still be alive.

I've sent off for an Ancestry DNA kit and I'm also wondering if it makes a difference if my DNA or his DNA is used ? The main reason I'd use my own is that I could make any findings a surprise for him, and if nothing turns up he need never know I did it.

Many thanks for any advice.

pinkypinky

Hi Russman

Have a search in the forum as we have discussed it before.

You definitely want to get your father tested. While there's never been a case of second cousins not matching DNA, you'll have a much better chance of finding a close match if you test your Dad.

For example: in Ireland, it can be difficult to figure out a third cousin relationship without a very developed family tree. There's also a small percentage chance you won't match a third cousin. If someone in your grandparents' generation went to America (very possible) and had children/grandchildren there, they'll be your 1C1R or second cousins, but your father's first cousins.

I know Hermy will want to weigh in the fostering angle. Has your Dad got an original birth certificate or ever tried to get non-identifying information? If he knows his DOB and place, you could go into the GRO and get the corresponding certificate.

Hermy

What information do you have already of your fathers family?

EDIT: Took the words out of my mouth!

Russman

Thanks for that guys, much appreciated. I never actually considered the worldwide angle and potential cousins somewhere. Tbh a lot of this is new to me and I’ve only found out most of it in the last few days, strange as it sounds.

Yeah, he has his birth cert and he knows her name. <modsnip>. One of my online searches showed someone born there in 1930, but I gather it’s not her from previous inquiries my parents made.
He made some efforts around 10/15 years ago and went to the parish hall he was born in, contacted some of the foster families, spoke to HSE social workers (I think), but everything just seemed to run into a brick wall. There was some talk about the parish hall being burned down several decades ago and records being destroyed.

Can I ask, what’s the GRO ?

shar01

It's the general register Office. We got some information about my grandmother from the AIRR project. I think it was through the dept of children when they were based in Hawkins House. My grandmother was a "boarded out" child in the 1920s.

The information wasn't much help. My mother did the ancestry dna test and that has helped develop a few leads. We found birth mother and hopefully are close to figuring out birth father

Hermy

Russman wrote: »

Yeah, he has his birth cert and he knows her name.<modsnip>.

Does he have his marriage cert as this may include his fathers name?

There was some talk about the parish hall being burned down several decades ago and records being destroyed.

There is often this talk but I would seek to confirm that that is what happened.

tabbey

Russman wrote: »

Thanks for that guys, much appreciated. I never actually considered the worldwide angle and potential cousins somewhere. Tbh a lot of this is new to me and I’ve only found out most of it in the last few days, strange as it sounds.

Yeah, he has his birth cert and he knows her name. <modsnip> One of my online searches showed someone born there in 1930, but I gather it’s not her from previous inquiries my parents made.
He made some efforts around 10/15 years ago and went to the parish hall he was born in, contacted some of the foster families, spoke to HSE social workers (I think), but everything just seemed to run into a brick wall. There was some talk about the parish hall being burned down several decades ago and records being destroyed.

Can I ask, what’s the GRO ?

GRO is the General Register Office in Werburgh Street, Dublin2.

It is strange that he was born in a parish Hall, what is your evidence for this?

The usual place to be born in Rathdrum apart from a private house, would be St Colman's Hospital (the former Rathdrum Union).

Russman

tabbey wrote: »

GRO is the General Register Office in Werburgh Street, Dublin2.

It is strange that he was born in a parish Hall, what is your evidence for this?

The usual place to be born in Rathdrum apart from a private house, would be St Colman's Hospital (the former Rathdrum Union).

Sorry, that was the phrase used by my mother in describing where he was born. Just checked with her and you’re correct, it was actually what became St Colman’s Hospital, as you say, the former Rathdrum Union, although she didn’t use that particular name.

Russman

Hermy wrote: »

Does he have his marriage cert as this may include his fathers name?



There is often this talk but I would seek to confirm that that is what happened.

He has his marriage cert alright but there’s nothing on it like that apparently.

Yeah, the “fire” story rang hollow me tbh, will try to confirm.

pinkypinky

Sorry to edit the posts but since we're talking about possibly living people we need to leave out names and places.

The charter of our forum doesn't allow for searching for living people specifically, so we can only advise generally.

I suggest you also read our sticky on tracing your ancestry as this will give a lot of detail on the GRO, etc.

Russman

pinkypinky wrote: »

Sorry to edit the posts but since we're talking about possibly living people we need to leave out names and places.

The charter of our forum doesn't allow for searching for living people specifically, so we can only advise generally.

I suggest you also read our sticky on tracing your ancestry as this will give a lot of detail on the GRO, etc.

Apologies for that.
Thanks for the info so far anyway, it'll give me some sort of direction to go in.

Vetch

St Colman's Hospital seems to have been the County Home and there's a reference to some records here https://www.wicklow.ie/Living/Services/Arts-Heritage-Archives/Archives/Collections/Workhouse-Registers, although there are gaps for the 1940s. You will probably run into data protection restrictions due to the age of the records.

pinkypinky

All the more reason to get your father involved: he will be able to access info that you cannot (without his permission).

Before doing any more, I'd talk to him about whether he wants to explore it or not.

Eliza K

Hi
I did the Ancestry DNA (I did it for genealogy reasons). Anyway I discovered I had a half sister she was adopted in the 60s in America. Never knew anything about her. My father died in his 40s and he never knew about her either. It was a huge shock but an amazing find. I’ve since met her.

In regards to should you get your dad to take the test. I would wait and see what shows for you first and if you have a close relative appear then get your dads tested and you’ll know how close the relationship is. Best of Luck with it.