Sisters Pat and Ivy hadn't seen each other for 57 years after Ivy was adopted....until they were reunited via the internet...
 Ivy (left) and Pat on their first meeting |
Pat went on to the internet on a whim - and on Friends Reunited she searched for her elder sister Ivy. Ivy's name came up, she sent her an e-mail and went into a state of shock when Ivy replied.
Ivy had been adopted by an aunt and uncle who couldn't have children themselves. Pat is two years younger than Ivy and although she often thought about her sister had no real memories of her before she left the family. Pat thinks she must have spoken to her mother about Ivy because she knew the date of her birthday - but she certainly wouldn't have asked any questions "It wasn't the kind of thing you'd talk about in those days".
Ivy had been the second child of her birth parents, and since she was born her aunt was desperate to adopt her. Her mother resisted it seemed until Ivy was around five or six. Ivy had often been sent on holiday to her aunt's in London and was used to spending time with her aunt and uncle. She clearly remembers the day when at her aunt's she was told that they were no longer to be called aunt and uncle but were now her mummy and daddy.
The families never met again until now. Ivy's family moved to Manchester. Ivy never thought of tracking down her birth parents, mainly because of her adopted mother, and never questioned her situation. She just got on with life.
Since getting in touch with Pat, Ivy has started to piece together the missing parts of her life. Ivy went to stay with Pat in Plymouth and was reunited with other members of her family. Apparently their grandfather had disapproved of the adoption which perhaps explains why Ivy never saw her birth family again until now.
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