Hi all
This is the scenario for most adoptions.
A child is born and the birth parent(s) register the birth of the child in its birth name. This entry makes its way into the GRO birth index. A birth cert is issued that contains the date & place of birth, childs name, parent(s) name(s) and address. If the father is shown, his occupation is shown.
The child is then adopted. An entry is made in the GRO Adopted Children Index. The adoptive family are issued with a replacement birth cert that supersedes the original birth cert for all legal purposes. This cert shows the adoptive first name which may or may not be the same as the birth name, adoptive surname, adoptive parents names, the date of adoption and the court that processed it.
The Registrar General issues an instruction the the Superintendent Registrar where the original birth entry was made and an annotation is added to the original birth entry. If you now purchase a birth cert either from the GRO or the local registrar, this annotation will appear on the right hand side.
There is no way you can link the original birth entry in the GRO birth index to that in the adopted children register unless you know both names as the GRO birth index does not make reference to the adoption.
A short form birth cert may also be issued which disguises the fact that the child has been adopted. All short form birth certs do not show the parents names. The difference with this short form cert is that the place of birth is usually but not always shown as England and there is an 8 digit ref number in the top right or bottom left corner like this XXXXX/XXX.
This 8 digit reference number also appears in the adopted children index and is the reference number required to order an adoption certificate.
The next step is one I have no knowledge of. I do not know if it is possible for a deceased persons adoptive family to make an application to the GRO for access to the adoption files. I think that if it was posiible you would need a really strong legal argument or medical reason to make that application. I don't believe family history is a strong enough reason but I could be wrong.
I suggest you phone the GRO at Southport and ask to speak to someone in the adopted childrens department and ask them to clarify their policy.
Prior to 1975 all adoptions were made on the understanding that no contact could come from children matching their birth and adoption status. The law changed and now children adopted after 18 have a right to see their files. Adoptees before 1975 have to have an interview and deal with an approved intermediary.
There is also testimony that living adopted people have tried to access their files only to be told they are missing/lost or were destroyed.
I do have access to the GRO adopted children index at the archives in London. I can check the adopted names to see what year the adoptions were made.
I believe from the previous posts that rachellaura has an adoption certificate but not the original birth cert issued at birth unless it is still in the family papers. Some people don't know what a short form birth cert looks like. There is an image here
http://www.imfreeware.com/birth-certificate-copy-P20294.htmlHope this helps.
Dawn
