A very strange turn of events!

[TracyL]

I have posted several queries in the past regarding the adoption of my grandfather and trying to find his natural parents.  I have had success regarding the mother, but no luck with the father.

However, today I have spoken with a descendant of the adoptive family and discovered another extraordinary twist!

I have been told that his 'adoptive' parents did not actually want to adopt him but had responded to a newspaper advertisement asking for someone to care for a baby for three months as the parents were moving to Australia.  They were going to get settled and (somehow!) send for the baby.  In the meantime, they would pay for the baby to be looked after.

The 'adoptive' parents never received any money and never saw or heard from the parents again!!

The mystery deepens as the natural parents had another child in 1906, who was also given up for adoption and that child was born in Birmingham!

As the natural mother lived in Leamington and the adoptive parents in Warwick, I believe this advertisement would have been in one of these local papers.

Does anyone know if any of these local papers are available to search online or even if they would exist?

Any ideas would be very welcome.

Tracy

[madfan]

Hi Tracy

I've had a look on the websites for the Leamington and Warwick Courier newspapers, they don't seem to archives on online but it might be worth contacting them?

www.leamingtoncourier.co.uk
www.warwickcourier.co.uk

Good luck with your search

Madfan

[TracyL]

Hi Madfan

Thanks for those.  I will definitely get in touch with them, although they may not be too keen on doing a search through six months worth of personal ads!!

So frustrating when you uncover something can't get access immediately

Tracy

[madfan]

Hi Tracy,

I know the feeling! When I find out something new on my family I want to get all the info there and then!

I am from Leamington so if there is anything I can do to help just let me know.

Zoe

[nanny jan]

You could try the British Newspaper Library at Colindale, London; nothing online so a personal visit.


Nanny Jan

[liverpool annie]

Hi Tracy !

I didn't see your other thread .... can you give us some time frames ?? ( I tried search ... but ... !!  )

What a heart rendering story .... breaks your heart doesn't it ??

Annie 

[TracyL]

Hi all

Thanks for the tips on where to look.  Colindale would certainly be easier for me - do they have searchable archives of all the local papers?

Thanks for your offer of help Zoe - you may regret that one

Annie - he was born in 1905 and my descendant contact believes that this happened when he was a baby - so I guess sometime soon after his birth in April that year.  He joined the army as a boy soldier aged 14 and I thought I was going to unravel the family rumour that he had run away at that age.  The last thing I expected was to hear was the circumstances of his ending up with this family.  I thought that he had been adopted and had not got on with the family.  The truth is that after he was aparently abandoned, the adoptive family had a natural child.  At age 14 he was sent away to the army as he was 'difficult'.  Sad on both counts as the adoptive family obviously got more than they bargained for and, understandably (sort of), never actually wanted him and sent him away asap.  He was always, apparently, aware that his real parents were supposed to be coming to get him

He had very little contact with his adoptive family after that.

Very sad.

[nanny jan]

Tracy,

I think you can check on their website which local papers are held at Colindale; perhaps try the Record Office/History Centre for Warwickshire also.

Nanny Jan

[TracyL]

Thanks Nanny Jan

Colindale is only about half an hour from me, so that will be my first port of call.

Tracy