My Grandmother

[C_Bishop]

Hi

My grandmother was born 1937, her name was Jean Henwood. Her mother was Constance Grace Henwood.
Constance got pregnant at a young age apparently, she apparently got left at the alter but i'm not sure if this is true...is there anyway of finding a 'intention of marriage' or something around this date? If so it could solve who my grandmothers father was. He tried to find her years later yet family interferred and she never found out.

I also am looking for any advice or opinions on why my grandmother was 6-7 years old by the time she was adopted. Her grandparents (constances parents) adopted her in 1944 in London. They hid Constances pregnancy and my Gran never knew her as her mother, she thought they were sisters until she was an adult.
My grandfather has her adoption papers, i asked him a while ago if he had her birth cert and he said yes. I have just discovered that he actually doesn't, he only has the adoption papers and he thought it was as good as. I'm thinking it might be a good thing to get one as there may be a possibliltiy of a father being listed. But if there is some sort of 'intention to marry' it could save me time and $ 

If anyone has had something similar or advice i would appreciate it, i have never dealt with adoption before and would like any advice on how to tackle it.

Thanks Cat

[lambster134]

Hi Cat,
I don't think you will have any joy with the birth certificate as Henwood is the name listed for the mother. And if the mother is unmarried, the birth certificate can only carry the name of the father if he is there to register with her (still applies today I believe!). Incidentally, if you are looking, a Jean Harewood was born in Lewisham, Mar 1938 (1d 1207).
 Good luck with the search..
Janine

[C_Bishop]

Hi Janine
Aw you are probably right there. What a shame 
Do you know if it is possible to get 'intentions to marry' at all, around this date, my grandmother was born in December of 1937 so it would probably be that year, maybe May-Jul when she would have realised she was pregnant! This would be my only way of finding out i think!
Thank you
Cat

[AMBLY]

Hi there Cat 
How's the weather up yr end - it's a bit chilly down ours today  for a change!

Just browsing about and saw yr post -  and I just wanted to add - in illigitimate births quite often the surname of the purported father was given as a middle name - even if the child never ever used said middle name in later documented events.

Having said that - if Constance's parents were hiding the pregnancy, adopting their grandchild etc (to keep up "appearances" maybe or something to do with the child starting School) and preventing the father from contacting Jean?  it is possible the same grandparents may have also informed of the birth and in that case would so no such thing as to give the father's surname as a middle name.    But maybe they didn't register the birth - maybe Constance did? So perhaps  a slim chance there might be something on the birth record.

Cheers
AMBLY

[C_Bishop]

Hi Ambly!

Yes, the weather isn't very good! But had some rain early this morn so this farmer girl is very happy!

Anyway! My grandmother wasn't given a middle name, she always felt that it was because she was unwanted 
It crossed my mind that maybe the adoption happened at that age because of starting school or something, i heard that Constance remarried but i haven't found any marriages to her (through Ancestry) maybe adoption happened because of her marrying!

I may get a birth cert as it is my grandmother and it would be a very sentimental piece! I doubt he would be on there though when i think about it, because he would have done a runner before the birth if she was going to marry him, (before she started showing  )

Thanks for the advice!
Cat