'They made my mum give me up because she was unmarried'
Summary
Reg Barker, 66, from Suffolk, learned at age 18 that he was adopted after discovering his birth certificate had a different name. His biological mother was pressured by hospital staff to give him up because she was unmarried, as part of a wider practice in England after World War Two where many single mothers were forced to give up their babies. The UK government plans to issue an apology soon to those affected by these forced adoptions.Key Facts
- Reg Barker found out he was adopted when applying for a passport at age 18.
- He was born in Bristol and was in a baby and toddler care service before adoption.
- His biological mother was single and pressured by hospital staff to give him up.
- An estimated 185,000 babies were taken from unmarried mothers in England after WWII.
- Barker spent 45 years tracing his birth family with help from social services and the Salvation Army.
- He met half-siblings and discovered relatives in the US but never met his biological parents.
- Barker’s adoptive parents supported his search for his biological family.
- The UK government will soon apologize to victims of historical forced adoption policies.
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