Babies born at home in 1920s

[alilaw59]

I haven't checked the GRO but I assumed as the birth registration is showing the aunt as the mother with a different birth date that I wouldn't find another birth certificate - would that be possible?

[MonicaL]

It shouldn't be, but always worth double checking with just surname(s) and the area/year. Was birth mother and father married so you can search for birth with both surnames?

You have to log in to search the GRO, www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/login.asp or alternatively you can simply use FreeBMD www.freebmd.org.uk  Not sure which one you have been using.

Monica

[Spidermonkey]

Does your friend have their birth certificate?  (The full one, not a short form)  If so, does it say anything on there about the birth record being amended?  If not, you could have a look on the GRO website at the birth index.  If it says something like "Occasional Copy" then it suggests that there may have been an amendment. 

This situation must be so hard for your friend, and aside from trying to ascertain the truth, it might also be of benefit for your friend to receive some counselling/therapy in being able to process some of the emotions that they are feeling.

[alilaw59]

thanks all of you for your help - I will check GRO

[Josephine]

Does she know if she was baptized as an infant or child? It might be worthwhile to check for a baptismal record, just in case.

Also, do you know for certain that the biological aunt gave the baby a different birth date?

Regards,
Josephine

[Josephine]

I know of two families who gave one of their children (as infants) to a relative who was unable to have children.

Did the aunt have any biological children of her own?

Regards,
Josephine

[Galium]

Do you know who the sister/sisters of your friend's 'mother' were?  Do you know whether they had other children? 

Supposing, for example there were two married sisters, have you looked at both of them and their families to see how the birth of your friend might fit into the pattern of births of other children.  It might be possible to eliminate one of them as being the biological mother, if she has a child born within 9 months of your friend's birth. 

Or maybe one or other of them is too old to have had a baby at the time your friend was born.

Or maybe there's an unmarried sister who might have had a child about that time?

[alilaw59]

yes it would appear that the aunt gave the baby a new birth date. Both the aunt and her sister had other biological children so we do not know why this happened. I don't know if she was baptised and may need to go hunting for that at a local studies centre? Would they have baptisms as I would have no idea and neither would she, if she was baptised and where that might have been.

[Spidermonkey]

Does your friend know where her biological parents lived?  It might be worth looking at local newspapers for the time of your friend's birth to see if that sheds any light on the situation - perhaps one of the parents was in trouble with the law, or there was a huge amount of unemployment in the area so couldn't afford to keep your friend.

I appreciate you might not want to share too many details to maintain your friend's privacy, but please don't be afraid to ask for assistance.

Good luck!