Adoption - Leighton Buzzard - 1919

[GlosAncestry]

Can anyone with local knowledge of the Bedfordshire area suggest any local institutions (e.g. orphanages, children's homes etc.) from which two young children (aged approx. 3 and 5) might have been adopted by a couple of Methodist missionaries in 1919? The Leighton Buzzard area in particular has been mentioned.

Thanks

Pete

[bedfordshire boy]

Legal adoption wasn't introduced in England until 1927. Before that, any adoptions were of a private nature, usually without any records

David

[GlosAncestry]

Thanks David.

I am aware that legislation governing adoption was not introduced until 1927, but I have been asked to try to trace the birth patents of two children adopted in 1919.

I know it's probably a long shot, but in this case my guess is the adoptive parents were not just friends or relatives of the birth parents (given they had travelled from South Africa seemingly to "collect" the children) but probably adopted from an orphanage or something similar (possibly by prior arrangement and after correspondence). I was just hoping I might get lucky and find the institution involved had left some records which might give a hint. Any kind of children's home with links to the Methodists and located in the Leighton Buzzard area in 1919 would seem favourite.

[tazzie]

  Hi

 I wonder if the children could have been in care of the workhouse as to the best of my research the first childrens home in Leighton Buzzard was Eversholt House in Grove Place and that opened in 1938/39.

 Guardian minutes books run from 1835-1930 at Bedford and Luton Archives but unless you have any names as clues.

 You say the couple travelled from South Africa to "collect" the children they may have been extended family are you able to give any names as I have list of Methodists within my collection. My family were Primitive Methodist's in Leighton and a couple were lay preachers on the circuit.

  Tazzie

[[Ray]]

Pete

You say that Leighton Buzzard has been mentioned.
Is it just a casual mention or is there any hard evidence of a connection?

Or indeed any other UK address/area?

Regards

Ray

[GlosAncestry]

There's no specific address known. The only information I have available is what the descendants have told me, which is "Leighton Buzzard is where my uncle says she was adopted, however I have no documentation to back that up and nothing to confirm she was definitely born there."

As I say, this is a long shot.

[[Ray]]

Pete

" . . . my uncle says she was adopted . . . "

?Your client's uncle says "she" (the uncle's sis/mum/other?) was adopted?

If "she" is no longer with us, have you permission to state the detail?

Ray
 

[GlosAncestry]

Sorry for the confusion. I was quoting part of an email out of context.

My informant is saying that his (the informant's) uncle had told him (the informant) that the informant's grandmother (the "she" referred to - one of the 2 girls I mentioned above - the other was brought up as her sister but may or may not have been a biological sibling) was adopted from Leighton Buzzard.

No further information available.

[tazzie]

  Just wondering on any names..... there was a post on here a couple of years ago about an adoption from Leighton Buzzard and the name Livingstone Moffatt was given..... by chance is this the same ?

  Tazzie