Dead sibling

[Followinglostsibs]

My half brother - by my deceased father - was born in 1958 in an African country that was a British colony at the time . My father and his wife parted soon after he was born and she remarried  - they went to live in another African country ( also a former colony ) and my brother died there in a road traffic accident aged about 12 in about 1970 .
I have his name - year and place of birth ( but not exact date ) - I have his mother’s name and his stepfather’s but not their DOBs . I have my father’s exact details.
I would like to obtain his birth and death certificates - have searched GRO database but no luck.
I know his birth was registered at the British Consulate in the city he was born in - and think it highly likely that his death would have been likewise in the second city where he died. Both were capital cities .
I’m a 100% certain he was British - as both my father and his ex wife were - however his stepfather was American and I think there was a possibility ( though not certain by any means ) that he was adopted by him ? Would a stepparent adoption at the time ( circa 1959 ) have entitled him to American nationality ? If so could his death have been notified only to the American authorities ?
That doesn’t explain why I can’t find hid birth certificate ?

I want these records for completeness of my family records - and maybe to reach out to anyone who knew him and perhaps can tell me more of his story.

All parties are now deceased I believe ( my brother/ father / the mother ) - though not 100% certain about  stepfather ....

Can anyone help or advise ?

[avm228]

Welcome to Rootschat

In my experience of expatriate family research, consular registration of births has been far more common than consular registration of deaths. The reason for this is likely be that a consular birth certificate was regarded as useful for the child’s future in establishing citizenship etc, whereas there is no such benefit at death. A further point is that the likelihood of using the consular registration route often depends upon how developed the local country’s civil registration arrangements were.

You might do better to name the country or countries concerned, so that those with local research experience can suggest avenues for further enquiry.

I’m confused by your saying that you know the birth was registered at the Consulate but have had no luck in ordering the certificate. What has been the difficulty - have you not found the index details (but if so how do you know it was registered?) or have you found the details but been unable to place an order?

[Girl Guide]

Welcome to Rootschat 

Have you looked at the GRO Overseas births, marriages and deaths index? 

Have you tried checking South Africa records on Family Search?

https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/South_Africa_Online_Genealogy_Records

[Followinglostsibs]

He was born in Accra , Ghana in 1958 - but I don’t have an exact DOB .... he died in Nairobi , Kenya in about 1970 - again no precise date of death .

GRO doesn’t give me anything .... even in Overseas section. Maybe because of imprecise dates ?

I’m wondering if by the time he died he’d taken his stepfathers name ? I don’t have DOBs for his mum/stepdad - only my dad .

I’d love eventually to find someone who knew him - family or friends - and could tell where he is buried and a little about his story.

Are there people you can hire to do this sort of research ?

Thanks for the welcome and ideas so far.

[zetlander]

have sent you a pm