Adoption information

[finta]

Hello anyone who's reading this!

On a 1911 UK census for my ancestors there is a child described as "Adopted Daughter" aged 5.  It is possible that her middle name 'Graham' is her original surname.  Full name:  Ethel Graham Robertson.

Is there any way I can find out who her birth parents were, apart from ordering numerous birth certificates for that name around 1906, and shelling out a small fortune?

Thanks in advance,

Finta

[GrahamSimons]

There was no formal adoption at this date, and no register. So this looks like a needle in a haystack....unless you can unearth more clues. Can you find a marriage for this 5-y-o and look at the marriage certificate? Might be a clue in a Press report of her wedding?

[dawnsh]

Hi Finta

As official adoption only became a legal process in England & Wales in 1927, there are no records prior to this which may be of help.

'Adoption' before 1927 was sometimes what we would now consider to be a fostering arrangement or was 'formally or informally' organised by the clergy, doctors, lawyers etc who may have known of a child needing parents and parents wanting a child.

Do you have her marriage certificate?

Does she name a father on that?

Of course she may have been illegitimate and there will be no fathers name on the birth cert anyway.

You could try also baptisms as the census does give a place of birth.

[finta]

Thank you very much dawnsh and GrahamSimons.  I will pursue your tips now!

Finta

[wivenhoe]

Can you describe the ROBERTSON family as they appear in the 1911 census.

Is Ethel the youngest child...oldest child....only child?

How old are the ROBERTSON parents...old enough to be Ethel's grandparents ie Ethel is born to an unmarried daughter.

What is birthplace of Ethel.

Do you see GRAHAM in families of the ROBERTSONs.  Do Mr and Mrs ROBERTSON have GRAHAM brothers, sisters, cousins  ie Ethel is close relative. Does Ethel's name appear in age sequence with other children, or is she listed last?

[stanmapstone]

The birth of an Ethel Graham was registered in South Shields in the March ¼ 1906
 
Stan

[stanmapstone]

Ethel Graham Robertson was born in Hebburn, Durham, which is in the Registration district of South Shields.

Stan

[Margaret March]

Ethel Graham Robertson was born in Hebburn, Durham, which is in the Registration district of South Shields.

Stan

Putting a surname as a middle name for an illegitimate child was often the mother's way of getting the father acknowledged on the birth cert since she would not have been allowed to name him otherwise.
Margaret

[stanmapstone]

Her birth was registered as Ethel Graham, once she was "adopted" by the  Robertsons, they apparently added their name as a surname. South Tyneside Registrars give the District: SS/Jarrow.B
Jarrow was a sub-district of South Shields Registration District. http://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/article/9966/Search-Register-Office-records
Stan