Genealogy Chat

Hi all,
I have been doing some research for a friend who never knew her father, but knew his name from maintenance orders. He didn't marry her mother but went on to marry someone else and had two daughters. He died in 1994 and we have his death cert. I have found marriages for the daughters and also their current addresses. My friend is very excited about having two half sisters but I have warned her that they might not want to have anything to do with her.
She wants to write to them telling them who she is. Does anyone have experience of the best way to go about this to have the best chance of success?
My friend now lives in Australia but will be visiting the UK next year and hopes to meet up with them.
She would be most grateful for any tips as to what she should do.
Barry

As your friend was born before the other two, they are unlikely to be unduly antagonistic - it would probably be different if she had been the result of a relationship after their father married..........

First of all I would make it clear to your friend that even if she writes to her half-siblings she may be disappointed and they may not want any contact.

Having said that we found my husband had two half-sisters he never knew about. The circumstances were different I think in that they were both elderly when we found out about them (they were 20 years older than my husband) and not in good health. They lived a long way from us so he never actually met them but we did have contact with a daughter of one of them and exchanged photos, documents etc. and met the daughter once).

I would suggest that your friend writes a letter but does not mention that she is a half-sibling. She could just say something like she is looking into her family history and thinks they have an ancestor in common. I suggest she mentions her father's parents (she would need his birth certificate to get their names if she doesn't know them). If they sound keen to exchange information she could then mention that she thinks their father knew her mother. If she takes it slowly and doesn't frighten them off she may have more success.

Kath. x

Thanks for your replies. I'll post again when she has made contact
Barry