Adoption Guidance

[IanMoreton]

Hello. My Mum and I have been researching our family on and off for the last twenty years or so. We have made good progress on my fathers side and on my paternal grandfathers side. My Maternal Grandmother however was adopted and we seem to be unable to research anything about the line on her side. Is there something we're missing? Where should we be looking?

Thanks.

[Milliepede]

Hello and welcome

How long ago was she born please?  Adoptions were informal affairs before 1926 and often a family member took the child on. 

Does she appear on any census or is it more recent history?

[IanMoreton]

She was adopted in 1942. We have a copy of the adoption certificate which gives us details of the family who adopted here but we've been unable to find out anything about her birth family.
She was 17 at the time.

[CaroleW]

Welcome to Rootschat

Have you located your grandmothers birth registration www.freebmd.org.uk  Was she illegitimate or did her mother die & she was adopted?

[IanMoreton]

Thank you.  I've just has a look and searched but nothing was found.

[dawnsh]

If you don't know her name at birth then you will struggle to find an entry in the GRO birth index.

As your mum is a direct descendent of a deceased adopted person (my assumption?), contact the GRO and ask for their help and advice

https://www.gov.uk/adoption-records

[IanMoreton]

Thank you so much.  I think my Mum may have followed this route with the Local Records Office but I'll ask her.

[Ashtone]

If you know her DoB, have you tried looking for her in the 1939 Register? Given that she was age 17 when adopted (?) I presume her birth year is c1925? So she might be redacted in the 1939 Register.

Given the fact she was a teenager when adopted, did her adoptive parents give her a new name? Or did she retain her first name(s) from birth?

[IanMoreton]

Thank you, I've looked on www.findmypast.co.uk and it doesn't seem to be able to find anything for her.

Any ideas why this might be?