David Stevenson finds birth family 65 years after abandonment in Golders Green

A man abandoned as a newborn in a Golders Green flat in 1960 has traced his birth family after six and a half decades. David Stevenson, now 65 and living in Peterborough, connected with relatives in Rotterdam through DNA testing and the ITV programme *Long Lost Family*. His story was broadcast on Monday.

The day he was found

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Stevenson was discovered in the hallway of a block of flats in Golders Green in 1960. The Daily Mail ran an appeal at the time to identify the baby, whom it called the "rainbow baby". The newspaper revisited the story in 2009, but no new leads emerged. Stevenson was later adopted by the Stevenson family in Peterborough.

His adoption records contained little information about his birth parents. Stevenson told the BBC that searching for his origins felt "like finding a needle in a haystack". His wife, Julie Stevenson, a former Peterborough City Councillor, located the police officer who handled the case. PC Tegwin Curl, now retired, had recorded the details of his discovery.

The police officer said she had never forgotten rescuing David. It was one of the most poignant events in her career.

Julie Stevenson, former Peterborough City Councillor

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The search for answers

Stevenson’s breakthrough came after visiting the Foundling Museum in 2015. He contacted ITV’s *Long Lost Family* team, who used DNA testing and genealogical research to identify his birth mother. Petra, born in the Netherlands in 1940, had travelled to England as an au pair in 1960. She died in 2010, before Stevenson could meet her.

Julie Stevenson told the BBC that Petra, raised in a Catholic family, had carried the pregnancy to full term. It remains unclear whether she knew she was pregnant when she arrived in London. Stevenson said he believes his mother had made arrangements for his care but that something went wrong. He expressed sympathy for her situation, noting the stigma faced by unmarried mothers in the 1960s.

A new family in Rotterdam

DNA matches led Stevenson to his mother’s sister, Maryanne, and cousins in Rotterdam. He described the reunion as "a delight", adding that the family had been welcoming. The research also revealed that his great-grandmother was Indonesian, a detail Stevenson said had deepened his understanding of his heritage.

Stevenson told the BBC that while he has found answers about his maternal family, his paternal lineage remains unknown. He said the technology behind DNA testing had made the discovery possible, including a match with a woman in Canada who shared genetic links to his Dutch relatives.

What happens next

Stevenson continues to explore his family history, particularly his paternal ancestry. He has no further formal steps planned but remains in contact with his newly discovered relatives in Rotterdam. The full story of his search was broadcast on *Long Lost Family, Born Without Trace* on ITV on 10 June 2025.