Charlie DENNEY 1912 - ??? Manchester/Birkenhead

[guest259648]

Charlie (Charles) Denney, what happened to you? Born 19.9.1912 in Manchester to single mother Katie Denney (sometimes Denny), her dates 1880 - 1956. Both based in Birkenhead, with Charlie probably schooled there (close to Birkenhead Park?) till 1920s. Placed with ('adopted by' ?) another (unknown) family in mid-1920s? because Katie couldn't look after Charlie + new baby John b.1922. [Katie, still unwed, then called herself Lewis from 1920s onwards.]       All I can find is Charles Denney's birth, 1912. Where was he placed? Did he take another surname? Was he lost in the War? Or is he a member of your own family, and you know the story? It's a tough one; please suggest lines of enquiry if you can. Thank you :-)

[KGarrad]

Have you tried looking for him on the 1939 Register? It's on FindMyPast.

Formal adoption came along in 1927, when he would have been 15. This was supposed to put a stop to informal adoption?! At that age, I don't think he would have been adopted.


Possible marriage?
June qtr 1922
Wirral Registration District     vol 8a, page 982
Denny, Charles M
Whitehead, Annie

[sgf28]

There's a Charles Denny born 1912, a student leaving the UK on 3rd September 1929, from Southampton to New York.

It looks like this Cahrles Denny may be travelling with John Kirkwood, 45, Irene Kirkwood,39, Jean Kirkwood,14, scholar and Mary Bartholomew,20, student, Margaret 22, student.

They had consecutive ticket numbers, that's what makes me think they were travelling together - 176430-176433. John, Irene and Jean ticket number is 176430.

Says the last UK address was France Ship is Caronia.

[guest259648]

Thank you KGarrad, I have searched Find My Past using the exact DOB (which I'm lucky to have) but no sign anywhere. (There are a lot of spelling errors on this site, though, aren't there.) I agree, there would have been no 'legal' adoption b4 1927, so I reckon a family must have informally agreed to look after him.   The marriage is in the right place, but too early, he was born 1912. Also there's a middle name (M), and he wasn't given a middle name at birth (just plain Charles Denney). Can you add a middle name for yourself onto your BC? I've never known - would like to know. D x

[guest259648]

Well spotted sgf28, this is well worth checking out and I'd like to look. I hadn't thought of his being taken abroad, but that's a distinct possibility. Where have you found the reference? Is it on Ancestry?

[sgf28]

Found it on Findmypast under travel and migration.

[guest259648]

Thanks a lot sgf28 - I've checked out the ship's departure & arrival, & also US censuses 1930/40 - this is an all-American party and the Charles R Denny on this voyage was born 11.4.1912 in Baltimore, so it's not the Charlie I seek, but well worth a look. Can't find any Charles Denn(e)y born 1912 in the US censuses, so I'm back looking in the UK: Manchester, Birkenhead...

[KGarrad]

The marriage is in the right place, but too early, he was born 1912.

Which would make him 20 at marriage?
That's not too early!

[Radcliff]

Have you looked into which agency he was placed with,
The Workhouse or Barnardo's ? hard work I know but I found my Grandfather, after contacting different organisations, what was his last known address, or even the one on his birth certificate