Can anyone help?

[avm228]

“Dudley” may be your best clue short of DNA - it’s not uncommon to find a natural father’s name reflected in the child’s given names.

If you did want to DNA test, have a look for good deals on test kits now & in the coming weeks (ahead of Father’s Day, one of various dates in the year for which discounts are typically offered in the genealogy market).

[CarolA3]

The 23-year-old son may well have served in WWI.  If so, look for his service records and see where he was around the date of conception.

Carol

[Johanna M]

These comments are so helpful -thanks very much. Can I look on service records for free, and if so how much info do I need - I have name, age, and where he was from.

[Johanna M]

Fyi. we know from records from the home for unmarried mothers where my grandmother was born that her mother was only 16 when she gave birth, and the reason for her admission was recorded as "violent attack" (which we're assuming was rape).  So the Dudley may not have been the father's name.... mystery. So good to talk about this with others who are interested though...

[avm228]

If you want you can send me a PM (personal message - press the green scroll symbol underneath my username in the left margin) and I can help you look for a service record.  Unfortunately many records from WW1 don’t survive, but I agree it is well worth a look.

I have just seen what you said about the circumstances of conception/birth.  That must make it much less likely that the child was named after the natural father.  Have you looked in the British Newspaper Archive (or Findmypast) for any relevant press reports?

[loobylooayr]

I have just seen what you said about the circumstances of conception/birth.  That must make it much less likely that the child was named after the natural father.

Terrible circumstances indeed.  Therefore I would tend to rule the 23year old son of the adoptive parents out as a potential biological father. Surely the birth family wouldn' t organise adoption to them under those circumstances .
Looby 

[Johanna M]

Yes it IS unlikely isn't it.  We wondered though if in those days any out of wedlock sexual relationship (especially one with such a young girl) might have been recorded as an "attack"... difficult to know if the family were just trying to save reputation... 

[Johanna M]

Thanks so much for everyone's help.  Found out yesterday that my grandmother's adoptive mother had a history of adoption from London in her own family (she had a much younger sister on the 1891 census who it said was adopted and who had been born in London). And that she had lost a child at 13 herself - perhaps sparking an impulse to adopt my Grandmother. Still speculation but this seems a very likely conclusion.  Support much appreciated to get this far. 

[Maiden Stone]

Fyi. we know from records from the home for unmarried mothers where my grandmother was born that her mother was only 16 when she gave birth, and the reason for her admission was recorded as "violent attack" (which we're assuming was rape). 

I wouldn't make that assumption. Another possibility is violence from a member of her own family when it was realised that she was pregnant.