A Scottish woman has issued a heartrending appeal in the hopes that she can be reunited with the Donegal grandmother she never knew.
Jacqueline Archibald and her late mum Marie searched for Marie’s mum for many years now.
Marie’s mum, who would now be in her 80s, arrived in Scotland in 1948 when she was between just fourteen and sixteen years old to give birth to Marie.
She is thought to have been from the Ardsbeg or Upper Keeldrum area, near Gortahork, whom she called Mary (Jacqueline’s mother – pictured above, when she was approximately 25).
Once the baby was delivered on the 14th of April, 1948, her mother named her Mary and she was given up for adoption via a Catholic Adoption Agency in Glasgow.
Jacqueline’s late mother was raised by Mr. and Mrs. Campbell in Glasgow. “I think my birth grandmother knew their names as the adoption was done through the church.”
Once the adoption was finalised, Mrs. Campbell re-named her Marie.
Jacqueline and mum Marie
“She only came to Glasgow to have the child I believe, then returned to Donegal. It was all a bit cloak and dagger through the Catholic Church, as no records were kept at that time.”
“I think because she was unmarried and very young she would have been forced to [give up the baby] due to the Catholic beliefs at the time.”
“Unfortunately my mother passed away very young and we are left with no family members on my mum’s side.”
Jacqueline explains that there is a good chance her grandmother may not be alive, but she is hoping that there may be relatives who may have known of a baby born in Glasgow.
Over the years, Jacqueline and her brother have tried to uncover their Donegal roots. They searched through old adoption archives in Edinburgh and Glasgow to no avail.
She even conducted a DNA test with genealogy site Ancestry.com, which informed her that she has distant relatives in New Zealand with the surname Cordue – but showed up nothing linking her to Donegal.
Any information which can help us bring this family together again would be greatly appreciated. You can contact Donegal Daily by emailing info@donegaldaily.com or send us a message on our Facebook page.
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