DNA Family Secrets: Are we full or half-sisters?

In the last 40 years over half a million children have lived in foster care in the UK. Five sisters, Charmaine, Jacqui, Lyn, Janice, and Julia were separated as kids but reunited in their twenties. They're now all desperate to know if they share the same father.

You all share the same mum?

Yes.

The question here is, do we all share, or do any of us share, the same father?

Yeah.

So, you were adopted, you were adopted, two separate families.
Yes.

Where were you three?

We were brought up in care from the early ages, from about two. Janice and I were a lot together weren’t we, in the same, for the last care home.

Unmarried and struggling without any support, the girl's mum, Anne, made some difficult decisions. she was pressured to put older sister Julia, and second youngest Lyn up for adoption. And although their mum tried to hold on to second oldest Charmaine, middle sister Jacqui, and youngest Janice, they were soon placed into foster homes, separated at an early age.
It was only in their 20s, when Lyn accessed her birth records and she discovered she had sisters, that all five of them were reunited. Something their mum didn't live to witness.

So, do any of you believe that you share the same biological father?

I think we do; I think we do.

Who do you think your father was, and do you think your any of your sisters are your full siblings?

I don't know, I'm on the fence thinking, am I, am I not?

Everybody should know who your parents are. I can't tell my kids their history, because I don't know my history.

The main question is are we full siblings or half siblings? And that would give us some answer to something.

Okay so when I met you all the first time, your question was around whether or not you are full sisters or half-sisters? And I know that one of the things that we discussed the first time around, was whether or not we would be able to use your DNA, to essentially start to work out who your biological fathers were.

Okay, Janice, Charmaine, Julia you are half-sisters, you all have different fathers.

Wow.

Lyn and Jacqui, you are full sisters, you share the same father.

We've always added a little sneaky feeling, now it’s confirmed it and I’m happy with that, are you?

So, Lyn and Jacqui, your father is Jack Bethel. We can see that because when we look at who you're matching, in the DNA databases, you're getting matches to other Bethel's, who have coincidentally, also taken DNA tests, and having that name to start with really helped us.
Good.

So that makes us half-sisters?

Yeah.

Are you surprised?

I did expect him to be my dad, Jack.

You’re still my sister.

We’re all sisters.

I think that is something really important to say, you clearly have a connection, you are sisters, and nothing is going to take that away from you.

We've all got our mum; we've just got different dads.

Now I can tell you that we've got ancestry information for all of you. We have not been able to get specific information about all of your fathers, are you happy for me to continue with that?

Yeah.

Okay, so Janice, you're getting matches in the sort of Cheshire, Manchester area. We cannot say who your biological father is.

Okay.

But based on the names that are in the databases, we know that he must be descended from the Roberts and the Artingstoll family.
Who?

Artingstoll. So, one of those two surnames.

And that's as far as that one’s gone?

That’s as far as that one's gone at the moment. That is not to say that six months from now, a year from now, somebody takes a DNA test, and they pop up on the database, and that allows us to home in.

Julia, okay, again you're getting matches in northwest England, but you're getting a bit of Irish in you as well. So, you're getting matches that suggest that your father is descended from the Smith and the Walsh family. Those surnames are so common, that it's very difficult to home in at the moment on who your biological father's family is, that's as far as we've managed to get with that one.

That's why I like Guinness.

Okay, Charmaine, you are getting matches in northwest England, and after looking at your matches on the DNA databases and working with, birth, marriage, and death records, we can tell you who your grandparents are.

Wow.

Okay.

Your grandparent’s surname was Jackson. They married in 1929, they had two sons, one of whom must be your father. Without a DNA test we cannot confirm. The eldest is still alive. So, knowing that are you happy for us to make contact and try and take this forward.

Definitely.

So now knowing the answer to your question, are you happy that you went through this process?

100%

I am definitely and I'm so grateful, because we've found information that we never had.

[MollyLuella]

I have learned in my life that “family” isn’t necessarily blood. It’s who shows up for you and who you show up for. These ladies are FAMILY. They know they are. ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

[kathleenherron]

Mom had health issues and all of the Dads walked. I’m sure there’s more to the story. I hope these lovely women are all healthy. They are so good to each other.

[janewatt]

It doesn’t matter whether they are full or half, they are sisters, that is all that matters!! In my opinion

[annew]

May Ann’s memory be blessed. She had five lovely daughters. It’s wonderful they have found each other. ❤ I wish Janice, Charmaine, Julia, Lyn and Jackie much happiness.

[cornishmaid]

They all share the unique experience of having snuggled within their mother’s womb, regardless of who their fathers are. That’s priceless.

[Sisterfifi]

Janice seemed a bit upset I think she was hoping to be a full sister to at least one of her siblings

[jcortese]

They all look so much alike, too! How lovely that they found one another.

[gail]

They will never lose contact from now on. Thats very apparent and a lovely ending.

[LAVirgo]

They're all sisters of a different mister. That's OK. Their bond is strong & their love for each other even stronger. Nonetheless, they each deserve to know who their fathers are, so that they can move forward. Every person deserves to know where they came from.

[AP-gbeh]

Poor woman having your children taken surely helped her end her life ☮️

[carolmills]

What an amazing bond these women have. There’s nothing like a sister I used to tell people all the time she’s my best friend and she still is. An amazing story. And one little note, we think the choices that we make in life affect us look what it’s done to those women. Sister one mother four different fathers. It’s sad. I hope they find other family members.

[patriciajrs]

I'm very glad they all got back together. It's sorry for their mother. That's sad. I wish the best for them.

[robbiemarcum]

These ladies are all so beautiful. How fun to have such Sisterhood.

[polarbearhero]

A few years ago at age 69 I found out I was not related to my father. DNA analysis showed my dad was mom’s best friend’s husband. Everyone is dead excerpt for two half sisters. I’m going to go meet my older sister this summer. So excited! But the sibling I was raised with wants nothing to do with me now. We haven’t talked since.

[rogerhogge]

I love that they found each other and don't feel the 'half' sister has any real bearing on anything. In my case, when my 'dad' passed, due to health issues and living 3500 miles away, I was unable to attend his funeral. This comes into play years later when I learned his sister, the last surviving member of the generations prior to mine had attended his funeral and advised my stepmother that my 2 brothers were his and I was not. My stepmother kept this secret until her passing years later. Before passing, she told my brother who in turn kept it to himself for more years. When he finally told me after we had a rather hostile disagreement, I was not surprised as I had believed since childhood that I was adopted. Long story.

Anyway, I dug and dug until the truth came out. My Mum and 'dad' had split. My mum was basically abandoned by him when he returned from overseas after WWII and reconnected with his girlfriend from prior to going overseas. When mum came to Canada as a warbride with babe in arms, she had nowhere to stay and ended up living with 'dads' parents. 'Dads' brother who was married with 2 children was estranged from his wife. He was a philanderer. He and mum ended up having a brief fling and I was the result. So, my 'brothers' (from dad) were actually half brothers as well as cousins. My bio fathers sons ('cousins') were in fact my half brothers.

Sadly, our family had always since my birth hated each other and we kids never knew any of them. After a couple of years of searching I did find my 2 'cousins' who were actually half brothers. Unfortunately the eldest had passed 7 years earlier and the younger who is 3 years older than me suffers from Alzheimers so I never got to meet them. I did find their half sister from their mothers second marriage but sadly, she passed almost a year after.

It breaks my heart that ego or whatever caused these family secrets that fractured our family but those of us who survive make no distinction between brothers and half brothers.

[saraschneider]

Ahhh I want to know how reaching out to that one's father/uncle went!

[moonoggin]

Did you film any more of their story? They are such lovely sisters. Look to all be loving people. The more sisters the better.

[leahtv]

If mum had health issues I'm sure taking all her kids away did nothing but exacerbate them. Whoever was responsible for that should be punished

[skid]

Aww what a wholesome family. Everything considered it seems a miracle that all 5 sisters have come out seemingly so well adjusted and caring for each other. Nice to see they found true family in each other

[sandracuthbert]

These sisters love each other so much. ❤