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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Dublin => Topic started by: marn on Wednesday 14 February 07 00:39 GMT (UK)
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I am trying to find out what this address was used for in 1939 - possibly an orphanage but maybe just a residence but I need to know as am trying to verify information. Can someone point me in the right direction to find out - sorry if this is silly question but I am new at this.
Thanks for your patience.
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I don't know a Percy Street but there is a Percy place, it faces on to the Grand Canal and behind it a Percy Lane which are all in Ballsbridge D4, 8 -34 Percy Place, is currently set out commercial buildings, the originals being demolished, I think.
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I'll be over in the Gilbert Library next week and I'll check the 1939/1940 directory for you.
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thanks for that dublin 1850 - yes, it was actually percy place not street. And thank yiou Marie M - It would be fantastic if you could look in the directory when you are in the library - it would be a piece of the puzzle. Thanks for your help :) it really is appreciated.
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Hello again
I was in the Gilbert today.
The 1939 and 1940 directories both list the occupant of 33 Percy place as a John A. Graham.
No occupation given.
I hope that helps.
Trish
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Hi Trish
Thanks very much for looking that up - it adds to the mystery as we thought it was a "nursing home". I know that my mum met another lady who had been adopted and who also had that address as her place of birth..... . I will try Holles Street Hospital to try to get some information in case she was actually born at the hospital. Again, thanks very much for your help. Marnie
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Hi Trish - could I ask a big favour if you are at the library and have any time - I have found out that there was a Registration of Maternity Homes Act 1934 in Ireland that required all homes where children were born or were taken shortly after birth had to be registered - if you have any time and can access these records for Dublin could you see if 33 Percy Place or this John Graham was registered under this act? It could be another piece of the puzzle... I am trying to find out how to search for this online but so far no luck. If you have any clues to how I can search this myself online please tell me and I will search. Any help very very much appreciated. Thanks again.
Marnie
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Hello Marnie,
It appears that those registers (http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZA14Y1934S10.html) contained a lot of useful detail. It would be great if this information was online. I've a hunch the hundred year rule may also apply in Ireland as well as in the UK. Perhaps Trish could confirm whether or not it does apply.
Chris
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Hi,
Very interested in this chat. My dad was born in 1941 with the same address on birth cert (33 Percy street)
He was sent 'down the country' - to live with an older couple (never formally adpopted). His birth cert has his
mother's name (Kathleen Dunne) at the Percy street address.
The 1911 census shows John A Graham at this address (his occupation was solicitors managing clerk??)
the hand writing is hard to be certain.
What was your conclusion to your search,?
Was this an unofficial adoption service?
Very interested to hear anything.
Thanks
A
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Hello Feehily,
Welcome to RootsChat.
33, Percy Street looks as though it was an address used in cases of unofficial adoptions. The best I can find online at the minute is an article relating to Irish adoptions between 1945-52. http://tinyurl.com/4pzcax
Christopher
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Morning Christopher,
Thanks for your prompt reply. It looks like we will have to do a lot more digging. I agree the Percy St address appears to be that of a solicitor involved in child adoption. My dad was sent to a family in Sligo and was never formally adopted by them so we only discovered his Birth name when he went looking for a Birth Cert. I get the impression that Percy St was used by parents who didn't want to be traced easily. Appreciate your help
Anne
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Hi there all,
have been reading your messages and i too am looking for information on 33 Percy place. My mother was adopted from there in 1943. i don't know where to go from here. Can anybody help?
Thanks.
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The person listed in the 1934 Thom's is K . Dalton . She was the daughter of the original owner . The 1965 Thom's has the occupier as
St Brendan's Nursing Home, which is now a private residence at 39 Percy Place, Donnybrook, Dublin .
It appears that many of the baptisms for this home would have been in
St Mary's Church,Haddington Rd, Dublin.
I will try and get some more info for you
George K
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Hi george,
Thanks for that- yes i found out that she was a nurse called Kathleen Dalton- she was a nurse there and she was a sponsor to alot of babies. Her name has appeared on a lot of Bat. Certs. She died not too long ago. I spoke to a priest at St. Mary's this morning and he said she may have made up alot of these names on childen's Bert Certs and Bap.certs. I'm going to get my mam to write a letter to the tracing agency at the Adoption support and see if they can come up with anything. But it's not looking good for all those children who were told they were born in this "private nursing home".
Thanks again, talk to you soon,
Natasha.
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don't know if this will help.hope so.
Anne
http://www.adoption.ie/
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the 1949 edition of Thom's lists the following for Percy place
39 Mrs. K. Dalton
" St. Brendans Nursing Home
as one house with a single rateable valuation
Shane
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Thanks Ann.
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i may be wrong but didn't legal adoption only come into force in the late forthies and early fifties. the reason i say this is i knew someone who was legally adopted in around 1956.the parents said they had a job getting to court despite having the baby? since birth. was this due to the outdated thinking of the government of the day
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Hello there, yes 1952 I think. Found Percy place and spoke to a priest, who remembers it being a nursing home. I found the place that have been keeping the records so now we have to write a letter and wait 6 weeks for an appointment to talk about my mother's file. A social worker will also be there, along with the nun and my mother. it won't have medical history in it though. But finger's crossed the info we want will be in it. :)
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Hi there freehily,
Was just reading your posts and if your parent was baptised in St. Mary's the information your looking for might be in St. Patricks Guild, 203 merrion Road. They are holding the files. You must write to them enclosing your parent's birth Cert/Bap cert(photocopy) addressed to ;Sister Francers Fahy. It takes between6/7 weeks for an appointment. They will appoint a social worker aswell.
They will give you the information that's held in the file but it doesn't contain any medical information.
They won't see you without an appointment-Hope this helps-let me know how you get on. My mother was born in 1943 in 33 Percy Place and baptised in St. Mary's, Haddington Rd. The Sponsor Kathleen Dalton was a sponsor to a lot of babies at that time.
Good luck. Natasha.
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Hi. My Mam was also born in Percy Place in 1943. She has been talking to Sr Frances and has been able to get some limited information from her. Sr Frances said that she didn't have any records and told her to contact the HSE. My mam felt that she was holding something back. Just wondering did you get to talk to Sr Frances and how did you get on. Thanks
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Hi there River,
My mother is still waiting for an appointment date to go see Sr. Frances-surely with the freedom of information act they must give you all the information they have/holding.
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Hi, just found my baby book.
Born * 54 at 39 percy place,St Brendans Nursing Home.The doc was J T? ??onhelm.the nurse was
Rosemary Terry.Hope this small bit helps with your quest
Seamus
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Hi, my father was born at 33 Percy Place in 1934. He thinks it was called Nurse D'altons Nursing Home. Was this only for children that were to be adopted, or was it also a regular maternity nursing home? He was not adopted and is curious as to why his mother would have gone there as she lived on the North side of Dublin. We would be grateful if anyone could shine any light on this mystery.
Thanks,
Niamh
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Hi I too am intrested in 33 Percy Place the infomation i have so far. I am adopted and was born in 1954 at 17 Mount St which was owned by a order of French Nuns when i went looking for records i was told they were held at 33 Percy Place by one of the nuns and that was all the info they were willing to give me. 17 Mount St was were young girls went to have their babies and then they were given over for adoptioni i do know other people who had similar experencies. i have drawn a blank so i am hoping somebody out there might be able tohelp me .
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Hi, thanks for your reply. It seems to be hard to find information on this subject. If I learn any more I will post it on here.
Niamh
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I am looking for my sister who was born at Easter time, in Percy Place, sometime in the mid 1950s. My mother gave her the name (*) Bailey, but noone of that name was born to a single parent in those years. I was told that babies were handed to families who were told to register them in their own name. This practice went on well into the sixties. Private nursing homes like Percy Place were a law on to themselves. I think my chances of ever finding her are little to none.
Moderator Note : Details of possibly living person removed as per Rootschat policy
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hi there,was this a home for single mothers to have their babies or a type of home for unwanted children as i am trying to trace my fathers roots.can anybody help.
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It was a mother and baby home where unmarried mothers had their babies.
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Hi,bluebelle thanks for the info.Do you know how they decided what families to send the children to or who contacted them about it.as my father was raised by a family wicklow.
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I presume you do not have a birth cert. with your father's biological parents' names on it? If you had a birth date for your dad the following office may be able to help. The Adoption Authority: Shelbourne House, Shelbourne Rd, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. Direct lines for Adoption Information and Tracing Unit: 01-2309327 ...
Haddington road church may be another avenue. I have to try this one myself.
Best of luck.
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Hi, yes he has a birth cert June 1939.names on it ok but i dont know if they are correct .the names have a connection with n Ireland,thats what i dont understand how he was born in 33 percy street dublin.a bit confused.out of this it would be nice to know where or what happened to them.would be nice for him to know if any other family members as well as me of my grandparents or cousins.Thanks for that info.will try them.
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I think if you have a birth date and name, Shelbourne should be able to do something for you. Write to them and drop the letter in by hand. I think the guy in charge is a Tom Joyce = very nice man. He rang me to discuss my situation.
Let me know how you get on. Also children were baptised within a day or two of birth so Haddington road should be able to track down baptism cert. It was 33 Percy Place as opposed to Street, I do not think there is a street called Percy Street.
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Hi ,I called the adoption unit on thursday , yes was speeking to that man Tom Joyce which is very helpful,and said there was no legal adoption in that time it didnt come into law until about 14 years later.anyway he said the best thing was to go to the general registar office of Births Deaths &Marriage,and check from it as i have date to start from.It costs 20euro a day to go in and check.He said it would take time.A bit of work in it.How about you,did you have luck.
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Hi All
I was adopted in 1956. I was told from a private nursing home, St Brendan's, Percy Place. The doctor who delivered me and arranged the "adoption" was a very famous gyne in Dublin until the mid 1980's, I know his name. he told my father (adopted) to register me as being born to him and my mother (adopted).
I was told by Barnardos that the records of the Nursing Home were stored in the D.Health and I would need a court injunction to see them. Is this true?
Has anyone had any success in getting any information?
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The difficulty is that your mother may not have given her real name which is what happened in my case and my mother cannot now remember what name she gave. If my sister was born in '56 I calculate that it would have either been the last week of March or the first week of April as Easter Sunday that year was the 1st of April.
Phone Tom Joyce ....The Adoption Authority: Shelbourne House, Shelbourne Rd, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. Direct lines for Adoption Information and Tracing Unit: 01-2309327 ... He will advise you..
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Hi Bluebelle
Thanks a million for your reply. I will phone that no. in the morning and see how I get on. My parents were attending the doctor who delivered me. He organised everything. He contacted them to let them know I had been born and told them to go to the nursing home. They were brought into a room in Percy Place and there I was, in a basket! I had to stay for a few days as there was a problem with one of my eyes.
My parents were told by the doctor that my mother was very young.
I was born in January, it would have been too easy if it was March or April!!!!! And registered on 1st February in Donnybrook.
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Hi, I have been directed to this post after asking about babies given for adoption. The child I am enquiring about was born in Holles Street Hospital and christened in St Andrews RC Church This was December 1925. Is it possible that Percy Street was going then. Anne
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Hi all
I just received a birth cert this morn for 1939. Place of birth 33 Percy Place, in attendance K Dalton.
I was wondering where this address was so used google and came accross these posts. I had no reason to believe this person was adopted. His parents names are both recorded on birth cert.
I am now wondering, if Percy Place was a home for unmarried mother's is it possible that married women also had their children there too? :-\
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Hi Ronoc
St Brendan's Private Nursing Home was a nursing home for unmarried mothers AND also married mothers.
There is no reason to assume that the birth cert you have was for an adopted person.
Hope this answers your question
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It certainly does, thank you Maedhbe :)
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Wow. This is fascinating.
I too have a birth cert for someone who was adopted and the mother's residence was recorded as 33 Percy Place! There was me thinking it was her home address.
The baby however was born at Holles Street Hospital.
This was in 1939.
Kind regards,
Glen
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Has anybody had success in finding records for 33 Percy Place?
Or know where they are archived?
Thanks so much,
Glen :)
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Wow. This is fascinating.
I too have a birth cert for someone who was adopted and the mother's residence was recorded as 33 Percy Place! There was me thinking it was her home address.
The baby however was born at Holles Street Hospital.
This was in 1939.
Kind regards,
Glen
Could they write to Holles street for copies of their paediatric medical records?
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I'm not sure. I've had a Google and it seems that they destroyed their records!!! :-\
I'll give it a go nonetheless. Thanks.
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Hi Bluebelle
Thanks a million for your reply. I will phone that no. in the morning and see how I get on. My parents were attending the doctor who delivered me. He organised everything. He contacted them to let them know I had been born and told them to go to the nursing home. They were brought into a room in Percy Place and there I was, in a basket! I had to stay for a few days as there was a problem with one of my eyes.
My parents were told by the doctor that my mother was very young.
I was born in January, it would have been too easy if it was March or April!!!!! And registered on 1st February in Donnybrook.
Hi Maedhbh I know this is an old post but I would like to get in touch with you if possible? I am researching this subject and would be fascinated to know more if you have time? Is.
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Hi, I think this is an old thread but anyhow. My paternal Grandmother Caroline Cassidy ran a private nursing home at 33 Percy Place, Dublin . She was a registered Midwife, married to John Charles Cassidy, 7 children including my late Dad Desmond Cassidy born in 1934. Unmarried mother's would go and have their babies there I have a photo of my grandad 'Charles' as he preferred to be called sat in the garden there and my Dad holding a rabbit in the garden. Feel free to email me at
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to avoid spamming and other abuses.
Please use the Personal Message (PM) system for exchanging personal data.
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for all your information
its 33 Percy Place and maybe they used percy st in the old days to put you off the trace
Hello Everyone,
Nice to hear your comments and I was wondering how many of you have 33 percy place on your birth certs as I do and see some one else here also, I watched in horror the story of Ireland's Illegal Adoptions last week and can post a link if anyone is interested.
Anthony
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Hi Anthony,
You can contact the person by private message when you have done another post, please keep it in mind that it has only been a few hours since you have posted your message, not everyone is able to respond immediately especially if they are in a different time zone.
Regards
Sarah
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Hi All,
Has anyone found the records for St Brendan's?
Kind regards,
Glen
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Thanks Sarah for you reply
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I would imagine the birth records are gone with the wind. As a private nursing Home the records would have been kept on site. When 39 Percy Place stopped operating as a nursing home and subsequently sold maybe they were thrown out with everything else?
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It is many years since I contributed to this post. I was looking for my sister who was born in Percy Place. As I knew I was looking for a needle in a haystack I turned to Ancestry.co.uk and sat back. 3 years later her son who was also adopted popped up as my closest relation. He had met his birth mother some years earlier. His mother, my sister, and I have met a few times but we do keep in touch by text. She grew up a few kilometers away from where I grew up. We have the same interests. All I can say is I am very lucky to have had the chance to meet my sister.
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Hi
Thanks for sharing this uplifting news. Its so nice to hear of a happy ending!
Every good wish with your newfound family.
Kind regards
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Appreciate this is an older post but could really do with some help, feel sick to my stomach having found my mum's birth cert. She was born at 39 Percy place in 1950 and my grandparents are listed as her parents as is a K. Dalton at that address like others have mentioned. Knowing they were involved with St pat's for another adoption 3 years later with my uncle my suspicions are my mum might be too. I can't find any baptismal records and she is none the wiser she's elderly and I'm confused with all this. What would you advise. Any help greatly received x
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@bettybee11 If your grandparents are listed in a 1950 birth, would they be old enough for their births to appear in the Civil Records? You can search for them here
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/agreement.jsp
but the births are only listed up to something like 1923, for data protection reasons.
Marriages will also be there.
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..but the births are only listed up to something like 1923, for data protection reasons.
Currently births up to and including 1922.
See https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/news/154-update-to-the-civil-records-3
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Yeah, the century rule.
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Think you should contact Tusla
https://www.tusla.ie/services/birth-information-and-tracing-and-adoption/information-and-tracing/seeking-your-personal-and-birth-information/faqs/
They should be at least be able to tell you if it’s likely your mother is a victim of an illegal birth registration and if any information on Percy Place survives.
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Thanks all will have a look at Tulsa and speak with Mum. Im awaiting DNA from ancestry to see what that brings up.
Have the baptismal cert from St. Mary's Haddington road, 2 days after birth, but obviously that could have been altered on request, so would need to see org baptismal cert. Doesn't make sense that mum wasn't brought back to home parish for baptism.
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Appreciate this is an older post but could really do with some help, feel sick to my stomach having found my mum's birth cert. She was born at 39 Percy place in 1950 and my grandparents are listed as her parents as is a K. Dalton at that address like others have mentioned. Knowing they were involved with St pat's for another adoption 3 years later with my uncle my suspicions are my mum might be too. I can't find any baptismal records and she is none the wiser she's elderly and I'm confused with all this. What would you advise. Any help greatly received x
Good morning Betty, I've been researching St. Brendan's, 33 & 39 Percy Place, the Dalton family and de Valera. I will send you a message. Kind regards, Glen
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Thanks Glen I'll drop you a message over the weekend. Appreciate your offer of assistance.
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Indexes for births and marriages up to 1958 are on familysearch and Ancestry.
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Think you should contact Tusla
https://www.tusla.ie/services/birth-information-and-tracing-and-adoption/information-and-tracing/seeking-your-personal-and-birth-information/faqs/
They should be at least be able to tell you if it’s likely your mother is a victim of an illegal birth registration and if any information on Percy Place survives.
I've tried Tusla multiple times. Unfortunately, nothing from Percy Place was handed over to them. It's worth a go though, because they do have records of St. Patrick's and some babies born at Percy Place had their adoptions arranged through St Patrick's.
It's also worth trying Holles Street Hospital because they hold maternity registers and sometimes Percy Place would send mothers in labour there.
Please feel free to message me privately for more details on my research of Percy Place.
Best wishes, Glen
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Glen I can't figure out how to reply to you directly.
The St. Pat's suggestion could make sense as they facilitated uncles adoption in 1953 from Temple Hill.
Holles street is so close so that would be an option to pursue.
I did contact the birth registers office on a recommendation and requested a list of all female births on that date in Dublin, no response to date.
My Ancestry test will be back soon and hopefully tell us a bit more. My son did one and we have quite a good match to what could be his grandaunt so my mother's sister.
Id like to talk with mam first before contacting TULSA. Whether she will want to pursue or not I don't know. Delicate situation.
Did you get any information or have you done DNA and got anywhere ?
Best wishes
Berty
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Glen I can't figure out how to reply to you directly.
The St. Pat's suggestion could make sense as they facilitated uncles adoption in 1953 from Temple Hill.
Holles street is so close so that would be an option to pursue.
I did contact the birth registers office on a recommendation and requested a list of all female births on that date in Dublin, no response to date.
My Ancestry test will be back soon and hopefully tell us a bit more. My son did one and we have quite a good match to what could be his grandaunt so my mother's sister.
Id like to talk with mam first before contacting TULSA. Whether she will want to pursue or not I don't know. Delicate situation.
Did you get any information or have you done DNA and got anywhere ?
Best wishes
Berty
If I remember correctly, you have to post a certain number of times, before you're able to send messages on here.
I believe that the surviving St Pat's records are with Tusla.
The Ancestry DNA will most likely help you know one way or the other.
Did your grandparents have any siblings? If any of their descendants (for example, cousins of your mam) did a DNA kit too, then that would help.
I've been able to help about 35 adoptees/foundlings over recent years, so if you need a hand understanding the DNA results, feel free to ask.
All the best,
Glen
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Thanks all will have a look at Tulsa and speak with Mum. Im awaiting DNA from ancestry to see what that brings up.
Have the baptismal cert from St. Mary's Haddington road, 2 days after birth, but obviously that could have been altered on request, so would need to see org baptismal cert. Doesn't make sense that mum wasn't brought back to home parish for baptism.
Just re-reading this. St Mary's Haddington Road and St Andrew's Westland Row were both known to have baptised children from Percy Place.
Nurse Katty Dalton (from Percy Place) thanks Bishop Dunne in 1949, after her other half Edward Dalton's funeral was held at St Mary's Haddington Road.
Glen
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Doesn't make sense that mum wasn't brought back to home parish for baptism.
Depending on how far the home parish was from the hospital it makes perfect sense. They were still a bit obsessed with the idea of limbo for unbaptised babies so pushed mothers to baptise them before going home. When my mother announced in 1955 in Hollis St that she was bringing her baby home (rural area) for baptism she had to sign papers taking responsibility for the decision.
In 1957 she hid with the baby in the toilets.
Great to see the advice Glen is giving you. Good Luck.
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Thanks glen really appreciate the signposting.
If it's ok when I get the results through from Ancestry I'll make contact with you for some help.
Many thanks
Betty