I am aware that formal, legal adoptions were not enacted until the 1920s but no doubt informal arrangements have been around for along time. However, I was surprised to see adoption details on the 1911 census, with the child in question being recorded twice, once with the mother then again with the "adopting" parents. The Blincow family in question are my husband's distant relatives and we had no previous knowledge of the family let alone the "adoption".
So I would like to share what I found on the 1911 census:
Mary Gwendoline Helen BLINCOW aged 8 is living with her widowed mother, Helen aged 43, two siblings, Irene 16 and Helen 6 and a boarder. The address is Bodenham, Harpenden.
(A Freebmd search reveals that Arthur John BLINCOW, father/husband died at Pancras in 1906 aged 38.)
Mary's birthplace is listed as Wheathampsted, Herts. Now against Mary's name is the notation " Now adopted by S Jacob Esq/- Ullerwater Rd Southgate".
A search for the "adoptive" father reveals:
Siegmund JACOB aged 39, Fur -Skin Merchant/Dealer b Russia, Nat British subject
Olivia Sarah JACOB 41 wife, married 16 years no children b USA
Then:
Gwendoline B JACOB adopted daughter aged 7 b Hertfordshire
(also a servant)
The address was 85 Ullerwater Road Southgate.
A lot of questions are now flying around - when & why etc.
Regards, Gazania