Genealogy Chat

Hi. I could do with some advice please as I have never dealt with an adoption before.

Yesterday I received the birth certificate of a great aunt who was born in 1929 in Wandsworth. It states, in the right hand margin, 'Adopted'.

I have looked at the Norcap site but don't really want to register at this stage. I also realise that my gt.aunt may still be alive so I must be careful.

Do I stand a chance of pursuing this adoption or not? If so, would someone kindly give me a push in the right direction. Many thanks. Cx.

all you know is she was adopted,and her birth name.

Do you know any more? Chances are quite slim , you'd have to rawl adoption register for corresponding date of birth/place , fewer in those days but still not an easy task

Hi Minnie, this lady has appeared out of the blue. I know the rest of her family but she is a complete mystery.

I found her by checking her parents names on freebmd trying to sort the family out into date order (luckily fairly unusual surname). I sent for the birth certificate to make sure and yes, right parents but no one in the family knows anything about her. I am in contact with one of her siblings (who is suitably flabbergasted) and we have decided to stay quiet about it because we don't know the circumstances of this adoption.

The thing is, there is also another birth a 2/3 years later with the same parents names who we don't know about either, and wonder if that child too, was adopted.

It's so strange - there was a family of nine altogether - why have 2 adopted???

The parents were entertainers and used to travel around so all the chldren have been born somewhere different. So helpful - not!!

How do I trawl adoption registers? Am willing to give it a go. Thanks for replying, Cx.

you cant look at adoption registers they are only open to the adoptee and are closed when they pass away.

Thanks Shirley, guess I'm on a loser with this one then! Cx

The Adopted Children Register (ACR) is not for public view, however, the INDEX of the ACR is available at some major libraries is open for public view.

Children listed on the INDEX of the ACR are listed in their adoptive name in the year the adoption order was granted in the Court. Without knowing the adoptive name it is an impossible task.

Cheers Gerry

hi,adoption wasnt made legal until about 1927,children were just given away,my grandfather was given away in 1915,even though we know who he was given away tooand we know his birth mothers name from his birth cert, thats where it ends,i havnt been able to trace him anytime after his birth until his marriage,what happend to him between these timesnobody knows.good luck in your search.x

Gerry..
Question please if I may.

Would you have to go to the library of where the adoption took place to view the index?

The one I am interested in took place in the early 1940s.

My dad was adopted at the age of 16 in 1942. As such he should have known his real surname and adoptive name - but was known by a different name to his 'real' name as a child!!

However, I found his adoptive registration, handwritten at the bottom of the relative page for his birth year.
Then I looked for a birth under his mother's maiden name under his birth year - he was there.
I also found him (handwritten at the bottom of the page again) under his birth name - and under his adoptive name the year he was adopted.


maggie

Thanks for your replies everyone. Seems that several of us have hit the proverbial brickwall - for a while at least!


FBG, maybe you could email the library where the adoption took place and see what they say?? They may be able to point you in the right direction. Just a thought.
Cx.

Cynthia..
I did that a couple of days ago,still await a reply.
But thanks for the suggestion.

Barry.

If you post asking for help ,if you havent already got a post somewhere on here,maybe you can get help with your brick wall?

Sorry Fannyby Gaslight I have only just seen your post.

The public Index to the Adopted Children Register are available for view these Libraries only.

Great Manchester County Record Library. Birmingham Central Library. Bridgend Reference and Information Library. Plymouth Central Library and I believe also at Kew.

The index is set out pretty much like the BMD indexes.

Year (when the adoption was placed in the ACR)

Adoptive name.

Date of entry (onto the register)

No of entry and Volume no.

Cheers Gerry

Thanks Gerry. Are these local or national adoption registers? Cx.

Gerry, are you sure about this? Surely you can't find out who was adopted and what their new name was? It's appalling if you can, as this should be confidential.
Jan

Cynthia:

It's my understanding that the Index shows ALL the adoptions for England and Wales from 1927.

Brummiejan:

You are quite right and the information is confidential and you cannot find out a persons adoptive name.

After a child has been adopted they are placed on the Adopted Children Register (ACR) and listed in their adoptive name. The ACR holds ALL the details of the adoption (birth names, adoptive names and Court details) and this is held under lock and key in Southport... this Register is NOT for public view by law.

The Adopted Children Register is NOT to be confused with the INDEX of the Adopted Children Register. As the INDEX can be viewed by the public. However, it does NOT show the Birth name As stated above in my previous post adopted children are listed in the ACR and appear in their ADOPTIVE name only.

In order to search the index of the ACR and apply for an Adoption Certificate you will need to know the adoptive name.

Cheers Gerry

Thanks for clearing that up! Very useful info.
Regards
jan

Thank you Gerry...

Fiddlesticks! Thanks for that Gerry.....but I only know the birth name and not the adoptive name.


Arrrghhh.....hits head against brick wall.




Cx.

Cynthia, there is no way of finding this out unless the adopted person - or someone else who knows the details - tells you. The best you can do is look for common ancestors in people's trees. Or register on the contact site obviously.
Jan

Sorry Jan, missed your reply! Thank you for that....the trouble is that I have two 2nd cousins who were adopted out by their parents in the 1930's ........the rest of their siblings, apart from one I have spoken to, do not know of their existence. They may still be alive so I must tread carefully. Probably one of those things which must be left alone. Regards. Cx.