Testimonials

I cannot find the words to describe how grateful I am to Louise and everyone at Finding Families, but especially David, who did a fantastic job in uncovering the identity of my maternal grandparents, a mystery that I had worked on for over 40 years.

My mother Ivy, born in 1910, never knew who her parents were. Mum was placed as a nurse child with a family in Brighton who neglected her and when the foster carer died, she was sent to Toyes Orphanage in Lewisham. She had no birth certificate, just a letter from a Court Missionary to the head of the orphanage saying that she was born in Rochester. She frequently asked ‘Who are my parents, why did they give me up?’ but was told, ‘You don’t want to know.’ She did very much want to know.

In 1957 Mum wrote to St Catherine’s House and was told there was no record of her birth. She was given a letter confirming her inclusion on the 1921 Census, proving she existed.

In 1992 when she applied for a 10 year passport, and was told her letter was not admissible, she received her birth certificate through the post. At last, the name of her mother, Annie Smith, housemaid. This also brought forth her feelings of abandonment and anger. ‘Why did she let me go?How could she?’ The mystery surrounding her beginnings had a profound effect on her self image and esteem.

Anyone searching for Smiths will understand how many years can be spent searching with very little progress. Twenty years went by. When Ancestry appeared we didn’t make much progress, even with a DNA test; looking for Smiths is a needle in a haystack activity.

Then I watched the BBC’s ‘DNA Family Secrets’. Most editions had me weeping. There were so many people expressing the same feelings as I felt. The reunions were so deeply moving. The researchers Finding Families seemed very good at finding grandparents and I immediately got in contact.

Apart from the fact that they were a fifth of the price of other DNA research organisations, I had seen how expertly they handled difficult family mysteries. I knew immediately that I could confidently send them my precious research.

Two months later an email arrived with a 17 page report identifying BOTH grandparents, great grandparents and more. There were some tragic circumstances which were handled so sensitively and further chats with Louise made me realise how skilled, but more importantly, how careful and kindly they dealt with highly emotional and unpredictable outcomes.

Even Finding Families had trouble finding Annie’s death records but a strange stroke of luck revealed her circumstances in a local newspaper obituary. I have since visited her grave, found a picture of my grandfather and had contact with cousins.

I will be forever grateful to David, Louise and everyone at Finding Families for the opportunity to discover my mother’s family. It has had a profound and positive effect on me emotionally.

Although Ivy died over 24 years ago, somehow I feel she is at last at peace because she knows she was loved.

I cannot recommend Finding Families highly enough. You are all amazing and what you do is so very important to so many more families than I ever imagined.

Home children Canada

I came to Finding Families with two main questions. What happened to my great aunts that were sent by Barnardo’s to Canada. And who was my real maternal grandfather.

Both questions have been more than answered in a considered way via DNA matches and family trees.

One, very out of place, Canadian born DNA match on Ancestry I had always thought was related through one of those great aunts. Indeed after further investigations, Louise and Nadine discovered an unlikely connection. This included a pregnancy at a very young age shortly after arrival in Canada.

This is a question my paternal grandmother always wanted answered, because of the upset caused to her mother, as two of her daughters, Gran’s sisters, were sent as children to Canada without her knowledge or permission, for the crime of being poor. An abduction by any other word.

My maternal grandfather was a very different case. A half first cousin appeared on a DNA site that made absolutely no sense to me. After much toing and froing and making the error of going to a different DNA search company that promised the earth but couldn’t supply a grain of sand, I went to Finding Families.

In just a matter of weeks Nadine and Louise had put together my entire maternal grandfather’s family tree using information from the DNA matches.

This included previously unknown siblings of my mother. If only I’d have known before…

Louise is a personable, good humoured, empathetic, professional and considerate person to take your DNA queries to. I am most glad I did.

Thanks Louise!

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude and admiration to you and your team for all the work you have carried out on my behalf.

I have been searching for my Irish ancestors for over 12 years, I had a name and date of birth for my grandfather but his birth had never been registered. This also meant I couldn’t trace any of his and my extended family

I had tried other companies in the past and I really was at the point of giving up when I was given your details. The service you and your company provided was absolutely amazing, within three weeks you had found my grandfather’s details and arranged for all the relevant documents and a photograph from about 85 years ago to be sent to me. How you found out all this information is incredible.  I will now be able to contact my extended family in Ireland and learn of their life.

What you and your team have achieved is something I’ll never forget and I would absolutely have no hesitation in recommending you and your team to anyone that is considering hiring  a professional to help in their search.

Finding and instructing Louise to help find my birth father after 52 years was one of the best things I have ever done – my only regret is I didn’t do it sooner.

Louise took the time to chat with me and explain the process in detail. I felt confident I had the right person for the job and knew I was working with someone who was professional , sensitive and understood the process. Unfortunately I knew nothing about my father only his name. I was doubtful I would ever find him.

I knew I had to prepare myself for the worst as there  was a chance my birth father may have passed away as it was so long ago. Or that he may not want contact with me after so long. It didn’t take Louise and the team long to gather their information and within a week I had the news I was hoping for that he was alive and well.

With Louise’s expertise and experience, my birth father made contact immediately after receiving her letters.

I can’t put into words how overjoyed I felt- this has lead to an ongoing, wonderful relationship I now share with my birth father, his wife , half brother and sisters and their entire family.

I am just so pleased I found Louise and Finding Families and would highly recommend anyone thinking about going through this emotional, unknown process to be confident they are in good hands with this team.

I cannot thank Louise enough for solving my families 90 year mystery. My maternal grandmother was born in 1933 and never knew anything about her biological father. Luckily she had taken a DNA test before she passed away in 2017, but there were no close connections which could help me identify her father. I reached out to Louise and within 3 months she had identified a family of 5 brothers. A few weeks later after some more research and one of the brother’s children taking a DNA test, my great grandfather was confirmed. I fully appreciate it has been a shock for both families but if nothing else I am so glad to have been able to give a name and photograph to my mother and her siblings. My grandmother would have been so very happy. Thank you Louise, the work you and your team do is absolutely priceless.

I cannot begin to thank Louise and her team enough for fulfilling a dream I was beginning to think would never happen.
After 40 years of searching for my birth parents, I found my birth mother quite easily through records when the law changed. But, would I ever be able to find my birth father?
This has only been possible through DNA and the team have worked wonders. I cannot praise them enough. For the hours of work they must have put in, the payment was very small and they are now writing to my relatives hoping they will be able to give me more information about my father. Fingers crossed.
Thankyou! Thankyou! Thankyou! Hazel