maggie1820

Thank you, people would find it hard to believe in this day and age that you were shut away like a criminal. Yes, the hurt isn't quite as bad, me and my daughter are very close, we have built up a lovely relationship. No-one can make up for the 40 years we were apart but it is what it is. I'm one of the lucky ones, she found me. x

St Agatha's Home for Mothers and Babies was part of the Sheffield Diocesan Moral Welfare Council. I was there from autumn 1964 to January 1965 and was made to give my baby up. She has since found me but we were separated for more than 40 years. We were put in the home when we were 7 months pregnant and then we had to look after our babies for 6 weeks. When they were 4 weeks old we had to dress them up and the prospective new parents came to look at them. I gave birth to her at Chapeltown Maternity home and then went back to St Agatha's to look after her until she was 6 weeks old. I fed her, bathed her etc round the clock. We were taught how to feed, change nappies and everything. There was a nurse Henderson who taught us. Miss Binnington was always on hand to help us. Miss Affleck was the matron in charge. All the adoptions went through Sheffield Adoption agency. I had some good times there with the other girls but some sad ones too knowing I had to give her up. We were made to feel ashamed. If your parents wouldn’t let you take your baby home there was no help financially, we didn’t have a choice, we were forced to give our babies up. We were made to feel selfish if we wanted to keep our babies, they would tell us that babies should have 2 parents. I left her there one morning when the 6 weeks was up, my dad came to fetch me home and I was never allowed to talk about it ever again. It was so cruel.