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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: Treasure hunter on Saturday 04 September 21 11:21 BST (UK)
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Hi everyone. I have just joined, and don't know much about using a computer, so hopefully can navigate my way around here. My question is, how do you find out who a persons birth mother is? Quick rundown...Grandmothers half sister claimed to be my gmums birth mother. I have her birth cert, (England) and it states her mum as her mum, not her half sister. Everyone involved has passed away, so have to do the sleuthing myself. Is there any way of finding out? Thankyou.
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Hi,
Welcome.
If you have got the original birth certificate for your G.mother, and it states the name of her mother
As she knew her to be and not the name of the half sister I think this is the only record available. It is a legal document, so unless the registrar was given incorrect information the mother is as stated.
Have you looked for a baptism? Although unlikely to be different to the Birth Registration you hold.
Assume there is no father recorded, is this correct?
Spendlove
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Hi, Welcome to Rootschat,
What were the ages of the half sister and the stated mother at the time of your grandmother's birth?
Tony.
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Hi everyone. I have just joined, and don't know much about using a computer, so hopefully can navigate my way around here. My question is, how do you find out who a persons birth mother is? Quick rundown...Grandmothers half sister claimed to be my gmums birth mother. I have her birth cert, (England) and it states her mum as her mum, not her half sister. Everyone involved has passed away, so have to do the sleuthing myself. Is there any way of finding out? Thankyou.
What year and County are we talking about - there may be Online Parish Records available ??
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Hi Spendlove. Yes, it is the original birth certificate. I haven't searched for a baptism record as yet. My gmums father is recorded on the birth certificate. I didn't know if they did dodgy type stuff back then, on birth certificates, in cases like unwed mothers.
Hi Tony. Half sister at the time of my gmums birth is about 12, while my great gmums age was about 33-34. Other siblings were aged nearly 3yo and 1 &1/2, at the time.
Thankyou both, for your responses.
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Hi Garstonite. The year is 1912, and in Southampton
Thanks for your reply.
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it will be a looonnngg process unless you know the church ? have a trawl through the parish records for Southampton
https://www.southampton.gov.uk/media/uyrotafe/index_to_church_of_england_parish_registers_tcm63-363628.pdf
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Hi Treasure,
A 12 year old mother would be a little unusual, but not unheard of.
I have seen lies told at registration and to the vicar at baptisms in order to save face and to preserve the reputation of unwed daughters.
Sue
Just to clarify also-
Whose daughter was he half sister?
The husband's or the wife's
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Hi Sparrett. Half sister was the daughter of my grandmums mum, from her first marriage. She was the only child from that marriage.
Thanks for your reply.
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I think this is quite an unusual claim to make if it wasn't true, so sounds like it could be true to me.
Are there archives in the area where your Grandmother/half sister lived where you might be able to do a bit more digging?
Do you know where half sister went to school? Might school admissions registers exist and be at the archives or at the old school. If such a register showed that half sister was withdrawn from school at around the right point this might be encouraging for her claim but if she was not withdrawn and showed a good attendance over the period it would more refute things as she most likely wouldn't be able to attend school pregnant.
Perhaps your Grandmother was born at home but no matter what birth cert says it might be an idea to check other registers that might be available at an archives such as maternity registers/workhouse hospital registers. Also check school log books and workhouse minutes.
Did half sister have more children? If so might it be an idea to do dna testing. I am no expert on dna matters but I think you would probably be expected to match more closely to any half sister's descendant if she was really your Great Grandmother rather than just a half sister. Other people might know more on this.
My first port of call would be to check a school admission register if it still exists to see if it looks like there might be any credence or not to claim in there.
Sorry, if this seems like a lot of work but this might yield results with being able to support or refute her claim.
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From the birth certificate that you have -
What do you see for date and place of birth?
What do you see for date and place of registration?
What name do you see for informant?
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"Do you know where half sister went to school? Might school admissions registers exist and be at the archives or at the old school. If such a register showed that half sister was withdrawn from school at around the right point this might be encouraging for her claim but if she was not withdrawn and showed a good attendance over the period it would more refute things as she most likely wouldn't be able to attend school pregnant."
You would have to take into consideration that the school leaving age in 1912 was 12 years old.
Tony
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Thanks for the replies.
River tyne lass...I have no idea on schooling etc, but I will try to look around that area. My gmum always said that she was born on a ship, but birth certificate states born at home.
Wivenhoe....1912. Sub district Southampton western, county of Southampton. With the registration taking place 26 days later. Not sure what you mean by informant. The only names on the bc, are gmums, her parents and the registrar.
Tony...Yes, good point to consider.
I have an aunty, who apparently has a letter, from one of the half sisters children. She has told me it answers some questions, said she would find it and email it to me. That was sooooooo long ago. I have already asked for it a few times.She hasn't even told me what secrets it may or may not reveal..... Sigh.... It could be a missing piece of the huge puzzle.
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Interesting point Tony, but my illegitimate Grandmother, seems to have left school at age 14 in 1909 .. so you never know half sister may have still been at school.