Could my dad be adopted via family

[Rena]

Now it gets a wee bit more interesting because my dad use to tell the story of his mum leaving him in hospital for 18 months after pulling down a pot of boiling water onto himself when he was around 2, he did have slight healed burn marks on one of his arms.  But even still would a mother leave her child for 18 months in hospital?  It just doesn't make sense. 

His birth Certificate does note my GM & GF as his parents but I am also aware that records weren't adverse to being modified.

I am probably looking too much into it, however I was wondering if there are more experienced researchers who could shed some light onto the regularity of adoptions within families and whether I am just looking for excitement in an otherwise very boring lot of ancestors 

Many thanks

Ariela

There have been great advances in medicines and operations during our lifetime and it's a mistake to compare the long stays in hospital of yesteryear with the advanced keyhole surgery of today.

My mother had an operation for stomach ulcers in the early 1950s and discharged herself on Christmas Eve after being confined to a hospital bed for SIX MONTHS.  In those days the hospital treatment was initially to have an operation to remove the appendix prior to having the main operation.. She wouldn't need that operation today, as the "ulcers" were caused by a 'flu type virus, and it would have been treated with a couple of penicillin tablets.   

[brigidmac]

I'd like to get back to the names of the great grandparents to see if anyone has them on trees or DNA matches .
Have to wait for message from OP

[Gan Yam]

Now it gets a wee bit more interesting because my dad use to tell the story of his mum leaving him in hospital for 18 months after pulling down a pot of boiling water onto himself when he was around 2, he did have slight healed burn marks on one of his arms.  But even still would a mother leave her child for 18 months in hospital?  It just doesn't make sense. 

Children going into hospital in the past was not like it is now. I had my tonsil removed in the early 60's aged 6 and was dropped off in the ward and collected several days later after the operation, no visitors during the stay. Traumatic for a young child, but that's just the way it was.  So I think its possible your dad was in hospital for a long time on his own.  His mum probably visited him, how often would depend on how far away he was from home, but if he was young his memory could be a little blurred.

Rules were harsh, and I suspect the further back in time you go the harsher they were. My mother had an operation (1960s)and was in hospital for about 8 weeks, but children weren't allowed visit, so didnt see her again until she came home.

[Rosinish]

At the time of my dad's birth Angus Rennie would have been 54 & my GM Aunt would have been 49 & they had been married for 29yrs. 

A reason could be that my GM Aunt was an older mother and in 1941 died of cancer at the age of 54, it isn't unheard of women who haven't had children to become pregnant before the menopause.  Maybe she was diagnosed a couple of years after my dad was born hence why he was then adopted within the family rather than outwith the family.

I think your theory is way out...if the aunt was diagnosed after your dad was born, why would he be registered to his parents in 1936, 5 yrs prior to the aunt passing away?

The very fact the aunt & Angus Rennie had no children all through their marriage, all the more reason to register their 1st/only child themselves & if it was known at the time she had cancer, provisions could've been made for the child's upbringing?

It's quite possible the aunt was your g/m' favourite aunt, maybe her only aunt, was very close to her & her husband?

Have you looked at the DC of Angus Rennie, who registered his death?

Annie

[Jennaya]

In Australia children who are adopted get a new birth certificate showing the adoptive parents as the birth parents.

It's possible that your father was a change of life baby born to his parents and named after his father. It is also possible that he was adopted by your grandparents  after his mother became very unwell as, back in the day, father's struggled to raise children on their own due to having to go to work.

This is all supposition of course - DNA is the only way to prove the theory. How does your father fit into his family, ie were the children all born the usual two years apart?

[LizzieL]

from the original post it looks like there were two older brothers and two older sisters, but also a younger brother.

 His 2 older brothers were called after their father and maternal GF & his younger brother was named after their parental GF.  His 2 sisters both older than him were called after their 2 maternal GM's.

Logically he should have been called after his paternal GF and they moved onto great uncle for the youngest boy.