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My dad Clive Manning was adopted. He is 81 years old and has Alzheimer's. He always said he did not need to know about his family, but for some reason he now sits and tries to make sense of it. He often thinks I am a sister who has found him and I must know the answers. So I am going to try...

I know dad's birth mum was Mary Ann pickering. He was born May 1934 in London. Mary came from Durham, Chester le street or great lumley. I have no date of birth.

Dad was adopted by the fugazza family, who changed their name to manning. He grew up in London, south tottenham. He remembers going to visit people in Durham, as a child. He has fond memories of them, but has no idea who they were.

Does this sound familiar to anyone. Or can anyone suggest how I can find out more.

Thank you
Lynn manning

PM'ing Clive's probable birth reg details.

Does he have his adoption file it may give more info on his mum

Maybe Mary,s birth

Births Jun 1902
PICKERING Mary Ann Chester le S. 10a 604

Possibly Mary Ann's family. At least it fits that 1902 birth, as Birtley is in Chester-le-Street reg district.


Mary Ann Pickering
in the 1911 England Census
Name: Mary Ann Pickering
Age in 1911: 9
Estimated birth year: abt 1902
Relation to Head: Daughter
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Birtley, Durham, England
Civil Parish: Birtley
County/Island: Durham
Country: England
Street address: 54 Morris Street. Birtley S.o
Registration district: Chester le Street
Registration District Number: 554
Sub-registration district: Harraton
ED, institution, or vessel: 6
Piece: 30123
Household Members:
Name Age
Robert Pickering 40 - boot salesman, born Sherburn, East Riding Yorkshire
Annie Pickering 34
Frederick Pickering 12
John Pickering 11
Mary Ann Pickering 9

All family except Robert, born Birtley.

Parents married 13 years, 3 children, all living.

Parents' marriage ???

Marriages Dec 1897 (>99%)
Atkinson Annie Chester Le Street 10a 823
Pickering Robert Chester le S. 10a 823

PM reply from Lynn (I will advise to reply on here instead of personally.)



" From: Lynn Manning

10:15 AM

Thank you for reply. He did get a copy of this some years ago. But that was it. We could find no clues. He has no idea where the certificate is now...

Happy New year to you... "




I assume from that, that his father's name wasn't given.

Thanks for the help. I think my problem is I don't know how to tie the information in with dad, how do I find the right Mary Ann pickering...I have no idea...

There must be a way...

Thank you again.

Hello Lynn, it might be worth you ordering another copy of the birth certificate from GRO. Hopefully, it would give further details about Mary Ann Pickering e.g. usual residence, perhaps an occupation?

Do you know if it was a formal adoption, or was he unofficially adopted by the Fugazza family?

Do you know if he ever accessed his adoption file if it was done legally?

Whoever holds his Power of Attorney might be able to apply on his behalf while he is still living. Once he passes it away, it will be closed forever.
Although the file is unlikely to name his alleged father, it might give some clues to his mothers background.

Have been looking through some notes I made when I started researching the family tree.

Dad was born 122 lower Clapton road hackney, 7 May 1934.
His mum was Mary Ann pickering, occupation General cook. There is an address 4 Don crescent, Chester le street, greater lumley co Durham.

He seems to have been adopted by the fugazza/manning family when he was about three.

Father not named.

That's all.I have.

Any ideas...

It might be worth contacting the nearest local studies centre or archive to the Durham address. They may hold the historic electoral rolls & can tell you the names of other electors registered there. They may charge a fee.

Durham County Records Office staff are really helpful and would probably look up the electoral registers without charge. If you wanted copies they usually only charge for the photocopying and postage which isn't too much.

EDIT - Don Crescent still exists. It is a bungalow which you can see using Streetview.

Kath. x

Lynn, just in case you didn't know , 122 lower Clapton road Hackney was a maternity home,

http://health.hackneysociety.org/page_id__130_path__0p10p41p32p38p.aspx

There is a record on the 1939 Register on Findmypast for someone called Manning/Fugazza:-

Manning (Fugazza) Household
Tottenham M.B., Middlesex, England

FIRST NAME(S) LAST NAME(S) BIRTH YEAR

~??? Manning (Fugazza) 1878
Ann Fugazza and 1 more person are on this record
1 more person who is officially closed

It might be worth seeing if there is a way to open the record.

Kath. x

Sounds like a plan...my new year project....Thank you.

Will look up Don Crescent, dad may recognise it....never know.
:-)

I think the person on the 1939 register with the surname given as Manning(Fugazza) is probably Francis Manning(Fugazza). The other person on the record is called Ann Fugazza. This looks like their marriage:-

First name(s) FRANCIS
Last name FUGAZZA
Marriage quarter 4
Marriage year 1909
Registration month -
MarriageFinder™ FRANCIS FUGAZZA married one of these people
MARIA SORENTI, DIONISIO ASSIRATI, >>>>>>>>>ANN MANNING<<<<<<<<<
District HOLBORN
District number -
County London
Country England
Volume 1B
Page 1271

It seems they decided to use Ann's maiden name. It could have been something to do with the war and wanting to have a more Anglicized name.

Kath. x

If your father was adopted at around 3 years old this would be about 1937 so the other person on the 1939 record who is officially closed could possibly be your father.

Kath. x

The 1939 Register wasn't available when you posted on Ancestry

http://boards.ancestry.ie/localities.britisles.england.lnd.eolfhs/6705/mb.ashx
Manning / Fugazza / Owen / Balbiani families

As you've already researched those families, its only the Pickering side we need to focus on.

Lynn - All helpers tend to go off at a tangent - the above is to advise people that you've already covered that aspect.

This seems to be the Fugazza's in the 1911 c ensus:-

1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
55 Taplow ST, Shoreditch, London, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Occupation Age Birth year Birth place

Francis Fugazza Head Married Male Cabinet Maker 32 1879 Bethnal Green
Ann Fugazza Wife Married Female - 28 1883 Hoxton
Florence Fugazza Daughter - Female - 9 1902 Clerkenwell

Francis and Ann have been married one year so Florence may be Francis's daughter from a previous marriage/relationship. I can't see any births of children from this marriage so perhaps that is why they decided to adopt - although they would be in their late 50's at the time.

Does your father remember if his adoptive parents were elderly?

Kath. x