Adoption pre-1927- any way of finding out?

[rachellaura84]

Hi.

I'm am trying to trace the birth parents of my Grandad. He was adopted at birth in 1920 in Rochdale, Lancs. His adoptive name is Roy Gillespie. His adoptive parents are Maud and James Gillespie. Does anyone know how I would go about trying to search for his birth parents? I think his name was changed completely. Other than that I know very little. My grandad died in 1994.

Any clues would be great, thanks.

[behindthefrogs]

Prior to 1927 doption was either bymeans of a private document drawn up between parents and the adopter or particularly in the case of poorer families simply by word of mouth.

Even in the first case there is little chance of anything surviving except amongst private papers and possibly in solicitors offices.  These sometimes in either case have been deposited in county record offices and might be located with a name search for example for the adopter at sites like:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/

[Billyblue]

Hi Rachel
Someone on another post had a similar problem to yours.
They said they had managed to check all the children born on the date of birth in the locality and now just had to make sure they had the right one.
do you know your granddad's actual birth date?
I presume you'd have to physically go through the registers or get someone to do it for you, which may be a problem if you're not in UK.

Dawn M

[Billyblue]

Forgot to say - welcome!

      

Dawn M

[dawnsh]

Hi rachellaura

I'm sorry to tell you but to find his birth parents you will need to know his birth name.

Going through the GRO birth index will be absolutely impossible unless you know his birth name as dates of birth are not shown.

Although he grew up in Rochdale he may have been born and had his birth registered in another district and 42 days was allowed for the registration process..

The local registrars do not allow open access to their birth registers, (you may get access to their own index), so you won't be able to look through trying to find any possible matches.

Dawn

[rachellaura84]

Thanks for all the replies guys. His birth date was 7th Fbruary 1920. But as you say without his birth name I don't think that will be much help. Is there any way of looking at all the births on a particuar place on a particular date? Everyone in the family seems to think he was definitely born in Rochdale.

[rachellaura84]

Forgot to say - welcome!

      

Dawn M

Thanks!

[MargP]

Hi Rachellaura

Did your grandfather have any sort of birth certificate, I thought he would have  needed this to get married and was he in the 2nd World War if he was he have would have needed this for proof of his age.

Margp

[MargP]

Hi Rachellaura

I have a birth registration for a Roy Gillespie mothers maiden name Bradury

Oct-Dec Qtr 1949
Warrington
Vol 10f

It was not unusual to register a birth way after they were born, and it was entered on the registration year and not the birth year so could this be him ?

Margp