Hi Rob
To cut a long story shorter....
Timeline16 July 1905 - Born, birth name and place of birth unknown
13 Oct 1906 - Wheatsheaf pub, Rainford, Lancs., woman travelling with two men (reported to be coopers by trade) and two children, sold one of the children for 4s to Tom Thompson, miner of Rainford. Other child believed to be male. My grandmother was told she had a brother.
18 Dec 1906 - First newspaper reports appeared detailing events of 13 Oct, asking to find a new home for the child.Story was initially detailed at the Dec 1906 AGM of the St Helens branch of the NSPCC. Newspapers then ran the story and interviewed Tom Thompson's mother who was living with her son.
9 March 1907 - Tom Thompson appears in Ormskirk Magistrates Court for being drunk in charge of a child. 'Alice' is removed from the Thompsons by the NSPCC.
5 May 1907 (recent find) - 'Alice' baptised in Shamley Green Surrey by adoptive parents as Eva Alice Taylor. Parish register recorded her DOB as *6* July 1905.
1911 Census - With adoptive parents in Cricklewood London, aged 6, birthplace - Cricklewood and counted as a child to the marriage.
1930 - Eva Alice married, gave age as 2 years younger and adoptive father's name as father.
Research - see article that I had published Family Tree Magazine August 2010, also details events -
http://s16.postimg.org/o9c31pgt1/page1.jpghttp://s23.postimg.org/ii0kygbu3/page2.jpghttp://s14.postimg.org/5kelple69/page3.jpg
http://s18.postimg.org/m3swerzvd/page4.jpgHave also tried Prescot Guardian Minutes.
Newspapers Have since found 33 instances of the newspaper story reported in the UK, US, Wales and Australia.
Tom ThompsonDied 1933 in Billinge Hospital Lancs. He had one daughter, Ellen, born 1908. Married Tom Bradshaw 1928 in Orrell, Lancs. Had 3 children - Ellen 1929, Doreen 1933, Clifford 1936.