RootsChat.Com

As mentioned earlier, I have 74 "both sides" matches (previously this was 2).

From checking number of segments for each match:-
- only 1 match has 1 segment  (a 15cM match)
- 2 have 4 segments
- 5 have 3 segments
- 66 have 2 segments

So far, I haven't been able to make much sense of these matches.

I had a similar situation with my great grandmother Mary Kilshaw, who was baptised as Mary Dean, illegitimate daughter of Jane Dean, in 1842, even though her mother Jane Dean had married James Kilshaw in 1839.  Her birth certificate shows her as Mary Kilshaw, daughter of James Kilshaw and Jane Dean. This baffled me for a long time, even more when I found that exactly the same things happened with the birth and baptism of Mary's two siblings born in 1845 and 1848.

I eventually found the reason.  James Kilshaw was a bigamist and his "marriage" to Jane Dean was the bigamous one and, therefore, not legal.  He was imprisoned for 2 years at Lancaster Castle. I suspect the church minister was aware of the situation and baptised them accordingly as illegitimate children of Jane Dean. But for civil registration, it was acceptable to record them as Kilshaws, with both parents named.
 

I also can't get this to work for me, it's worked fine for the last 2 years.

I've been trying for 2-3 days, tried everything that Purpeller has done and Sandra has suggested, including clearing cache & cookies, different browser, different computer etc.  I just get the 1 month/6 month offer page each time.

I'll persevere a bit longer ...... but maybe it has been pulled.

From my understanding and experience, there will have been been 2 birth certificates issued:-

1) original birth certificate under birth name, showing birth parents, "Adoption" written against entry

2) adoption birth certificate (certified copy of entry from Adoption Children Register) under adopted name
- this replaces original birth certificate for adopted child
- shows adoptive parents & adoption order date/place,
- no reference to birth name or birth parents

In many cases, an adopted person might not see the original or know the information on it.

Hope this helps.
  Malcolm 

Hi all,


I've just gotten the 1921 census entry (very exciting day!) for my great-granddad, Gerald, who was adopted as a child. I know nothing about his biological nor adoptive family.

In the previous census he lived with his biological father and his older siblings, Hetty and William. In the 1921 census, he lives with a new family, and Hetty (who was still under 18) but not with William (who was in his 20's).

Gerald and Hetty are both listed as boarders in this household with no mention of being adopted such as being listed as "adopted son" or "adopted granddaughter" - is boarder the usual terminology for adopted children in censuses or is this family he is boarding with not likely his adoptive family?


Thank you for any help,
Ell

Hi

A "Boarder" is someone who lives in the household and makes payment for their accommodation.  It's similar to a "Lodger", the difference being that a lodger pays for use of a room only, a boarder pays for a room and meals.  Lodgers were supposed to be treated as a separate household with their own census form (this doesn't always happen). Boarders should have their details entered with the household. I've found in my research in various census years that boarders and lodgers can sometimes be family members but not always, it's more likely with boarders.

There was no formal legal adoption in England & Wales until 1926 (few years later in Scotland & N.Ireland) so unlikely to be shown in 1921.  There were "adoptions" before then but these were informal unofficial arrangements.

Hope this helps.
   Malcolm