Birth certificate annotated by the Registrar "Adopted" at Birth

[maxcam]

I have a birth certificate circa 1919 which has an annotation by the Registrar " Adopted" at Birth. Does this imply, family stepped in, or external adoption or that someone was awaiting the birth? So puzzling as Adoption Records are a minefield. As Roots Chat has solved so many of my previous  queries I will throw this open to all the wisdom out there, thanks.

[Forfarian]

I have a birth certificate circa 1919 which has an annotation by the Registrar " Adopted" at Birth. Does this imply, family stepped in, or external adoption or that someone was awaiting the birth? So puzzling as Adoption Records are a minefield. As Roots Chat has solved so many of my previous  queries I will throw this open to all the wisdom out there, thanks.

That's very interesting because there was no formal adoption process until about 1930, so I wouldn't have expected a registrar's note on a pre-1930 birth certificate unless the child was not actually adopted until after 1930.

G F Bisset-Smith's Vital Registration (published in 1902) says, "As Registrars are sometimes consulted concerning cases where children are to be received into the houses of those who are not their real parents, it has to be pointed out that adoption is not recognised in the Laws of Scotland and England, and that, therefore, all such arrangements must be matters of agreement: also, that an addition to, or alteration of, the name in the Birth Register can be made only under the provisions of section 32 or 33 of the Registration Act, 17 and 18 Vict c 80.
"Accordingly, no entry regarding adoption can be made in the Birth Register ...."

[maxcam]

Now I am totally confused. From tracing this family I have discovered that there was an older child but the baby was registered by Mother. Also given later developments it is conceivable that the marriage of the parents had already broken down. Is it possible that the baby was adopted by family members. The older child was raised by Aunt and Uncle but no sign of the baby there.

[dowdstree]

The child as said by Forfarian would not have been "adopted" at birth as there was no such thing in 1919.

It may have been brought up by a family member or fostered out to someone else and then officially adopted after 1930. Who registered the birth in 1919? Have you traced the baby in later life?

Would you be prepared to share any further details with us as to the child's name at birth which would be helpful.

Dorrie

[maxcam]

The baby's name was Mary Brownlie, daughter of James and Janet (Rintoul) Brownlie. Mary's date of birth was 4th October 1919 and registered by her mother on 13th October 1919 in the parish of Dalziel, Lanarkshire. As I said Mary had an older sister, Annie born 26th December 1915. Home address same in both cases. Father's occupation is given as 1) Miner 2) Private 2nd Battalion Scots Rifles. Sadly Mary's mother, Janet, died six months after her birth. Her Father remarried the next year but did not take Annie with him, she was raised by extended family. So really puzzled as to Mary's fate.
The same name of the Registrar who recorded Mary's birth matches that of the "Adoption" notation.
Any pointers would be gratefully received as usual

[MonicaL]

There is this death showing on SP:

Mary BROWNLIE
Age 80
Mother's maiden name RINTOUL
Death yr 2000
Ref 735/ 335
Edinburgh

Monica

[MonicaL]

On the death reg, there is a second surname showing for this Mary of DUNCAN. Can't see a Scottish marriage for a Mary Brownlie to a Duncan so hard to comment further on how the surname comes in to play.

Monica

[dowdstree]

Good find MonicaL.

If Mary had ever been legally adopted her mother's maiden name of Rintoul would not have been indexed on her Death Registration.

This leaves us with two possibilities  -  1. Mary married a gentleman with the Surname of Duncan out with Scotland.  2.  She never married but used the surname of Duncan all her life - possibly from the people who brought her up.

I have a similar scenario with my late mum who was born in 1918 but the difference being I knew all the relevant details.

You could send for her death certificate from scotlandspeople at a cost of around £12.00 + postage or wait for the 1921 Scottish Census to be published (hopefully later this year) and try to find her listed under Brownlie or Duncan.

Please keep us updated.

Dorrie

[dowdstree]

Annie married a James McConnell on 3/11/1933 in Glasgow. You may already have this information. According to a Family Tree on Ancestry Annie died in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia on 1/7/1985.

This tree also has a note to say "After her mother died Annie is believed to have been placed in a Children's Home. It is believed she joined her father's new family with her step mother - Helen Reid - and assisted in caring for her step brothers and sisters" Obviously, I cannot vouch for the accuracy of this statement.

Annie and James seem to have had at least 10 children some of whom settled in Canada and others in Australia. Again from Family Trees on Ancestry.

Dorrie