Switched at birth - Genealogists' Forum

Olde Crone · #1 07-06-22, 10:17

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Any one else watch this? I found myself strangely unmoved, I really don't know why because what an awful situation.

I felt they made a lot out of not much - dna quickly established the truth and there was a lot of padding. The two Italian families were remarkable and deserved a programme of their own.

I felt very sorry for the lady who hadn't known. Will she ever get over her distress at her age. A classic example of having the unpleasant truth thrust upon you when you haven't asked for it. I really don't know whose rights are paramount.

OC

Anstey Nomad · #2 07-06-22, 11:31

Difficult one. I actually felt a bit uncomfortable watching it. The fact that the other lady didn't really take part in the programme I think said it all.

However, this may be more common than we think. Someone posted on one of our local Facebook groups recently because a Christmas present DNA test had shown that the subject was not at all related to their immediate family and they were looking for people born at a particular hospital in the same week in the 1960s. I would love to know what came of that.

Margaret in Burton · #3 07-06-22, 11:55

Not watched it yet. Have it recorded

ElizabethHerts · #4 07-06-22, 11:56

We felt so sorry for the lady who knew nothing about it. It would have been hard at any time of life but at the age of 77, when you feel 100% certain about your identity, it must have been overwhelming and distressing.

She did look very like her biological sister in face shape and eyes.
I couldn't understand why the pilot's family didn't take steps to rectify the situation if they knew they had the wrong girl.

kiterunner · #5 07-06-22, 14:27

Yes, I felt very sorry for Jacky too. She was so upset about it and the woman she had been swapped with was so happy. The Italian families' story was fascinating. I wasn't clear on whether the girls had to swap their names back or if they kept the ones they were used to?

There have been a few other cases reported that I remember, and also there was one a long time ago which George Bernard Shaw got involved with:
https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/b...more-1.3262001

kiterunner · #6 07-06-22, 15:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiterunner

Yes, I felt very sorry for Jacky too. She was so upset about it and the woman she had been swapped with was so happy. The Italian families' story was fascinating. I wasn't clear on whether the girls had to swap their names back or if they kept the ones they were used to?

There have been a few other cases reported that I remember, and also there was one a long time ago which George Bernard Shaw got involved with:
https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/b...more-1.3262001

To answer my own question, I found an article about them which said that "To make matters easier, they decided to keep the names they had always used."

Merry · #7 07-06-22, 20:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anstey Nomad

However, this may be more common than we think.

When they said a whole lot of babies had been taken to the basement because of the air raid, I worried that it wasn't just going to turn out to be a straight swap, so I was a bit relieved when it turned out to be exactly that.

I also felt uncomfortable watching. I felt sorry for Jacky that she had been told something she didn't want to know and sorry for Rosemary that she had lived with this story all her life.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anstey Nomad

Someone posted on one of our local Facebook groups recently because a Christmas present DNA test had shown that the subject was not at all related to their immediate family and they were looking for people born at a particular hospital in the same week in the 1960s. I would love to know what came of that.

I saw that. Very frustrating that it wasn't possible to learn more in order to help the poster.