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Wales (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Wales => Glamorganshire => Topic started by: Nor-Welsh on Friday 18 December 15 12:24 GMT (UK)
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According to the 1911 Census my maternal grandfather aged 9 is listed as being adopted by a Cardiff couple who lived in Grangetown.
Is it possible to for me to have some kind of access to the adoption file, and if so how would I go about it??? :)
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Formal adoption didn't come into force until 1927 - so this would most likely have been an informal adoption, with no legal paperwork?
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Before the 1926 Adoption Act which came into effect 1st January 1927, adoption was viewed as an essentially private arrangement between the parties concerned. The term "adopted" generally included fostering and guardianship.
Stan
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Thank you Stan....if there was the possibility of the adoption being legally sanctioned who/where should I start looking?
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Thank you Stan....if there was the possibility of the adoption being legally sanstioned who/where should I start looking?
There were no legal adoptions until 1927. Children were just handed over with mainly a verbal agreement and, at best, a declaration setting out the child's change of identity was drawn up by a solicitor, but it was by no means a legally binding document.
Stan
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Maybe you could research if there were any adoption societies operating in the area at that time?
I think would be mainly church-based?
But often it was friends or family who took children in.
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Thank you Stan....if there was the possibility of the adoption being legally sanstioned who/where should I start looking?
There were no legal adoptions until 1927. Children were just handed over with mainly a verbal agreement and, at best, a declaration setting out the child's change of identity was drawn up by a solicitor, but it was by no means a legally binding document.
Stan
Looks like Ive run up a cul de sac ;D but thanks anyways....
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Formal adoption didn't come into force until 1927 - so this would most likely have been an informal adoption, with no legal paperwork?
Thanks for your input. Regards. Paul.
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You could start by looking at Children's Homes? Try here:
http://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/list/Glamorgan.shtml
Or Glamorgan Archives?
http://glamarchives.gov.uk/
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According to the 1911 Census my maternal grandfather aged 9 is listed as being adopted by a Cardiff couple who lived in Grangetown.
Is it possible to for me to have some kind of access to the adoption file, and if so how would I go about it??? :)
My gut feeling would be to look at the wider family - looking for teenage girls (perhaps a niece?) who needed to find a good home for their child. You haven't said whether your grandfather took this Cardiff couples name? Presumabley he kept his birth name? If so I would be searching the birth indexes.
PS - So whom did he name as his father on his marriage certificate?
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You could start by looking at Children's Homes? Try here:
http://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/list/Glamorgan.shtml
Or Glamorgan Archives?
http://glamarchives.gov.uk/
Oh My....the childrens home list is extensive to say the least ???. I have made good use of the glamarchives link by writting to them...Cheers!!!! :)
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Are you saying that your grandfather took the adoptive family name and therefore that is what all his descendants are called? Was it assumed they were his real parents and the adoption has come as a surprise?
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According to the 1911 Census my maternal grandfather aged 9 is listed as being adopted by a Cardiff couple who lived in Grangetown.
Is it possible to for me to have some kind of access to the adoption file, and if so how would I go about it??? :)
My gut feeling would be to look at the wider family - looking for teenage girls (perhaps a niece?) who needed to find a good home for their child. You haven't said whether your grandfather took this Cardiff couples name? Presumabley he kept his birth name? If so I would be searching the birth indexes.
PS - So whom did he name as his father on his marriage certificate?
If it were that easy...he took, or was given the family name of the folks who cared for him..worth a try tho`...... Cheers!! :)
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Are you saying that your grandfather took the adoptive family name and therefore that is what all his descendants are called? Was it assumed they were his real parents and the adoption has come as a surprise?
Thankfully it was no surprise...it was known to all for years...and yes he took the adoptive name. Cheers!! :)
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Do you know where he was born and his exact birth date? You might be able to narrow possible births from that.
I'm just wondering, as adoption wasn't legally done until 1927, what happened about birth certificates? Would an "adopted" child before then keep his original certificate even though he might be know under another name?
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Do you know where he was born and his exact birth date? You might be able to narrow possible births from that.
I'm just wondering, as adoption wasn't legally done until 1927, what happened about birth certificates? Would an "adopted" child before then keep his original certificate even though he might be know under another name?
Yet again some good leads to follow....Ive just got off the phone to my sister asking those questions.... to no avail unfortunately.... slam goes another door... ;D
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Hi Nor-Welsh,
No never than easy 8) - but a starting point!
I would agree with groom if you know his exact birth date and area of birth I would start to narrow down the likely 'suspects'. Possibly first name remained same as given by his birth mother and on his birth certificate.
I would also get a DNA test done. I have a friend who did this she was able to find her father's birth surname based on the DNA results and is now researching people with this surname. There are many companies that do this (not just Ancestry!) There is also a topic board on here to do with DNA research.
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Do you have his death certificate - his birth date might be on that?
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According to the 1911 Census my maternal grandfather aged 9 is listed as being adopted by a Cardiff couple who lived in Grangetown.
Is it possible to for me to have some kind of access to the adoption file, and if so how would I go about it??? :)
My gut feeling would be to look at the wider family - looking for teenage girls (perhaps a niece?) who needed to find a good home for their child. You haven't said whether your grandfather took this Cardiff couples name? Presumabley he kept his birth name? If so I would be searching the birth indexes.
PS - So whom did he name as his father on his marriage certificate?
The marriage certificate could be the way to go, but as he took the adoptive family name and was possibly named after his step father as well...the chances of him giving his birth parents name is remote....but worth a try.... CHEERS!! :)
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The marriage certificate could be the way to go, but as he took the adoptive family name and was possibly named after his step father as well...the chances of him giving his birth parents name is remote....but worth a try.... CHEERS!!
He may not even have known his birth parents' names. The chances are, if he was handed over as a young baby/child, that he was illegitimate. I would expect him to name his adoptive father as his father on his marriage certificate, especially if he used that name.
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Possibly groom, but we don't know what he may have been told. Still worth a look
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Do you have his death certificate - his birth date might be on that?
Unfortunately not...but...Ime going to visit the registary office on Monday to get a copy of it along with his marriage certificate...fingers crossed..... :o
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Good luck!
CD