Adoption in 1912

[sophia1422]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone had any information on the adoption process in 1912, more specifically who could have been involved and who would have arranged it?

This is in relation to my grandmother who was adopted at some point between 1912/3. She was born in Hull in November 1912 and baptised December 1912 at her local church. Her birth mother was unmarried and born in Dublin - she was still there at the 1911 Census. Although there was a link to Hull through her uncle, (who had been born there) there were no known close family connections and none known between her adoptive parents, who were from Barton upon Humber. The same address is given on my grandmother’s birth & baptism certificate so her birth mother obviously stayed around for a while- she later emigrated to America in May 1913.

[KGarrad]

Formal, legal, adoption didn't start until 1927.

An earlier adoption MAY have legal papers attached, but most adoptions were informal affairs.

[Treetotal]

You could try newspapers, She may have been offered for private adoption in the Hull Daily Mail. I have seen others advertised that way pre 1927. It would most likely to have been done through private arrangement.

Carol

[jim1]

If she was Catholic it may have been arranged by Nuns who operated homes for single mothers prior to adoption.

[jorose]

It also wasn't uncommon for unmarried women to be sent elsewhere by family to have their children out of sight of the neighbours - if properly timed she could have gone to "work" or "assist an elderly relative" for a bit and then come home after the adoption with the local gossips hopefully none the wiser.

Since there was some connection there, perhaps the family still had friends in Hull who could have assisted her with lodging etc. Have you checked the address given at birth in Hull to see if it was linked to a hospital, workhouse, home for unmarried mothers or similar institution, or who was living there in 1911 if it was a private house?

[sophia1422]

Thank you all for your ideas.

Treetotal - I didnt think about newspapers so thank you. I have had a brief look and there are a number of possibilities - I would never have thought babies for adoption would have been advertised as such!

jim1 - she was Protestant but thanks for comments.

jorose - Thankyou for this, I will have a closer look at her Uncle and see if I can link him further. The house seems to be a private house and no obvious links to any institutions but I will have another look.