Adoption Records

[lainey]

Can anyone help - after a matter of deduction I have come to the conclusion that my great grandfather Frederick Taylor was adopted.  On his birth certificate (1877) the father is unknown, the mother is Eliza Taylor (a servant), the informant present at the birth is an Emily Harris.  In the 1881 census Frederick is living with Emily Harris and her father and mother.  Frederick is listed as a "Grandson" - there is no sign of Eliza Taylor.

If Eliza was a servant in the Harris Household in 1877 maybe she could not bring up the child and had him adopted to the family or maybe she died and they took him on.

It has been a nightmare trying to solve this.  Are there any adoption records for this time or has anyone else got any other ideas why Frederick suddendly became a "Grandson" ?

It may be that she had a relationship with a member of the household ... I just don't know.  Any help/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Elaine

[casalguidi]

Hi Elaine

It might be simpler than you think.  If this is the family in 1871 that you are referring to in 1881, there were family members by the name of TAYLOR/TAILOR.  In this instance, son in law/dau in law can mean step son/daughter as well as the more usual in-law as we know it today.  It looks as if Jane had previously been married to or had children in the name of TAYLOR.  Further research should, hopefully, reveal whether she had a daughter named Eliza.  If this is the case, then your Frederick would indeed have been a grandson of William RUMSEY albeit a step-grandson 

1871

Prospect Cottage, Queens Rd, Millbrook, Hampshire

William RUMSEY head mar 54? tailor b.London
Jane wife 48 laundress b.Lymington
Henry TAILOR son in law 15/13 porter b.St Marys Southampton
Alice TAILOR dau in law 12 b.Shirley Southampton
Edward HARRIS son in law 31 seaman b.Shirley? Ports? Southampton
Emily HARRIS dau in law/wife 29 laundress b.Lymington
James LIGHT son in law 22 seaman b.Winchester
Mary Ann LIGHT dau in law/wife 22 b.Lymington

RG10/1200 folio 96 page 25

For future reference, it is often easier for anybody looking up if you post the full details of the 1881 census or whichever information you already hold.

Best wishes

Casalguidi

[acorngen]

Just to add until the 1920's there was no formal adoption in the UK and even when this came in the majority of the records until the 50's or 60's were destroyed by the then agency for adoptions Banardo's

Rob

[Jane Masri]

1927 was when adoptions became legal.

Jane

[lainey]

Thank you all for taking the time to help me.  I did not have the 1871 census entry and what you say seems very feasible.  I am going to Southampton Archive Office tonight so will research this avenue further.  Many thanks.

Elaine 

[lainey]

By the way, this is the 1881 census entry:- 

William RUMSEY   Head   M   Male   65   Middlesex, England   Tailor     
Jane RUMSEY   Wife      Female   57   Lymington, Hampshire, England       
Emily HARRIS   Daur   W   Female   38   Lymington, Hampshire, England  Invalid
Anthony J. HARRIS   Grand Son      Male   5   Southampton   Scholar     
Lucy NESBIT   Daur   M   Female   28   Southampton       
Frederick TAYLOR   Grand Son      Male   4   Southampton   Scholar