Kilkeel Adoption

[Del 80]

Hello, In 1914, Thomas Ayto and his wife Martha Bingham adopted a child born at Kilkeel in 1913, I believe the child was Ella McCulla, she was born on boxing day 1913, trying to find out if Ella was the daughter of Martha's sister, Elizabeth Ann Bingham, Martha was born in 1879, at Kilkeel, and died in 1967 at Grantham, Lincolnshire, Ella died in 1997, again at Grantham, any help appreciated,  Del.

[aghadowey]

The date is before official adoption procedures but it wasn't uncommon for children to be looked after within the family circle. Have you checked for a birth certificate for Ella?

[Del 80]

Aghadowey, No, not yet, I only discovered  this yesterday, it was on Thomas Ayto's army enlistment papers, I think that Elizabeth Bingham married someone called McCulla, that is why I suspect that the child could be hers, and that Thomas and Martha adopted her......Del.

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
   In 1905 Elizabeth Anne Bingham married John Robert McCulla in Rostrevor Presbyterian Church. The family can be found in the 1911 census living in Kilkeel.

Regards

[Del 80]

Kingskerswell, Thank-you, I  hadn't seen  that, most interesting, I only got the name McCulla via another thread on the Bingham family......the plot thickens......Del.

[dathai]

strange her birth is showing on family search but no volume or page number shown

[dathai]

it gets weirder family search shows a death in Kilkeell for Elizabeth Anne Mcculla age 77 Jan March 1913 this lady dosent seem to be on the census with ages ranging from 60 to 75.

[aghadowey]

Just to expand what's already been posted-

In 1911 census John Robert McCulla, wife Elizabeth Ann (nee Bingham) & 3 children are in Kilkeel- fits with 1905 marriage:
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Kilkeel/Newcastle_Street/244393

Elizabeth Ann (Bingham) McCulla born c1885 according to 1911 census. The 1913 death not likely to be her- aside from the age, the death took place Apr./June 1913.
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FRVH-JYD

'Ella' can be a name in it's own right or a nickname sometimes for Elizabeth, Ellen, Isabella, etc.

[Del 80]

I see them now on the 1911 census, according to information Elizabeth Ann died in 1931, allthough  I can't prove that......another thought occured to me, what if Ella was actually Martha's child, by someone called McCulla......she then married Thomas....and he formally adopted Ella...would that make any sense ?.... I have to say that this is only speculation, on Thomas's army enlistment form I can only make out the letters ''CULLA'' for child's name.....it is a ''burnt'' document........Del.