No Birth Record On GRO Website

[HM1992]

Hello,

Sorry if something like this has been asked before, I did pop some keywords in the search bar but came up as confused as the query I have, haha!

Long story short there was a rumour about my great grandfather. Apparently he was born to a sibling of my Great Great Grandfather and handed over to him. Nothing more was said and I only found out about this myself, yesterday.
When searching the GRO website for his birth certificate I came up blank. Tried variations of his name and tried searching by the birth year (with 2 years either side) and what would of been his (possible adoptive) mums maiden name....nothing.
This leads me to believe the rumour but I am double confused as my great grandfather served in world war 2. Due to the 100 year privacy laws I cannot view those documents on ancestry websites but I would have thought his birth certificate would of been needed to enlist and possibly needed for his marriage in 1934 and when registering his death in 1982, I know him being born in 1908 was a different time but as the years have gone on I'm trying to figure out how he got by without one if this was true. It's confusing me to no end and hopefully someone may be able to help me with this?

Thank You

Best

Hannah x

[PaulineJ]

A name (or three) and a place is always a good start.

So this as-yet-unnamed chap wed in 1934 and at his death in 1982 was reported to have been born 1908.

Does that tally with the age at marriage?
Does he appear in the 1939 register or on the 1911 census?
(who, when, where & with whom)?

And no, you don't need a birth certificate to get wed, or to enlist

[HM1992]

Hello,

Aaah see I thought you would of needed that to enlist, so that solves that.
He was born in 1908, he wasn't on the 1939 census as he would of been at war. (His wife was living with my great great grandfather).
On the 1911 census he was listed with his mum and dad who I know as my great great grandparents but since this came out yesterday it could be they were his adoptive parents but nothing was officially done. I made a comment as my great great grandfathers siblings have at least 3 or more kids and I said it must of been sad for my great grandfather to be an only child and was told the rumour.

Hannah x

A name (or three) and a place is always a good start.

So this as-yet-unnamed chap wed in 1934 and at his death in 1982 was reported to have been born 1908.

Does that tally with the age at marriage?
Does he appear in the 1939 register or on the 1911 census?
(who, when, where & with whom)?

And no, you don't need a birth certificate to get wed, or to enlist

[KGarrad]

WW2 Service Records, for those serving after 1920, are still with the MOD.
Nothing to do with Privacy Laws

You can apply for his records (for a fee of £30):
https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records

Official, legal, adoption didn't come into force until 1926. SO there probably won't be anything there.

Finally, the 1939 National Register was NOT a census
The records continued to be used, and updated, until the 1990's.

[PaulineJ]

Hannah,
We can't help unless we know some names and places.

[Josephine]

Hannah,

Another option would be to search for a baptismal record for your great-grandfather.

Regards,
Josephine

[hallmark]

What GRO?

Country?

[ReadyDale]

Do you know what religion he may have been?
I have a number of my OH's family, born in the era in question, who a happily visible in the Catholic church baptism records, but whether through ignorance or received misinformation, obviously thought that was sufficient and they didn't need to be then registered. Definitely no adoptions in their case.