I was told I was unworthy to be a mother, then they stole my baby
A new BBC documentary, 'Stolen Babies,' highlights the experiences of women forced to give up their children for adoption between 1949 and 1976. The program features personal testimonies of mothers who were coerced by social and religious systems, following a formal apology from the UK government.
Why it matters
This story sheds light on a historical systemic injustice against unmarried mothers, contributing to ongoing social discourse regarding state accountability and human rights.
Figure caption, Maron only had a few months to get to know her baby before he was taken from her
Marion McMillan was 17, pregnant and unmarried, when she made her first trip to England from her home in the south-west of Scotland.
It was 1966 and she was sent by her family to a maternity home run by the Salvation Army more than 150 miles away, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
The young mum spent nine months with her baby - a beautiful boy with "gorgeous wee black hair" - before he was taken from her.
She begged staff to let her keep him. "I said 'please help me keep my baby, don't let them take my baby, please' and he was gone," she told a new BBC documentary, Stolen Babies.
Warning: This story contains racist language and descriptions of sexual abuse and violence
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in