Finding the mother of an "illegitimate" birth in Scotland 1916

[pocketslint]

Can anyone suggest how to proceed with finding details of a mother giving birth to an "illegitimate" child in Glasgow in 1916, where the name of the mother, and her occupation listed as "domestic servant", is the only information available. The address given is almost certainly not the mother's home address. Would a full copy of the child's birth certificate provide any further details? As this predates the Adoption Act (Scotland) of 1930, there are no formal records of the arrangements made for the child's upbringing as formal adoptions did not readily exist. The child died as an adult in 1979, and her son is looking to trace his line through the grandmother if at all possible. Thanks in advance, Pockets.

[Dundee]

The information you see in the online registers is the same as an official birth certificate.

https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/statutory-registers/births

Debra 

[pocketslint]

Thanks Debra, that should save him some time and money. Without any idea of the mother's age, never mind DOB, I cannot see where to look next. I looked for the name Agnes Graham being born anywhere in Scotland being aged between 16 and 26 in 1916, and there are about 80 of them. Pockets

[trish1120]

Have you done a DNA test?
DNA connection may be helpful for this

[MonicaL]

Hi Pockets

Have you checked who was living at the address on the 1915 Valuation Rolls on SP?

Was there any middle names used? Naming traditions in Scotland can be useful. Could the name have been Agnes's mother's name I wonder.

What happened to baby after her birth? Was she in care or fostered by a family?

Monica

[california dreamin]

Hi Pockets

I would try having a look for the named mother in any marriages after 1916  (maybe try 5 or 6 years worth) this should narrow down how many Agnes Graham's. 

Is AG on the 1921 census?

I would also look on Electoral registers for Agnes. Remember no voting during the war. By 1928 we should be getting the younger women on the Er's.

I agree, you should try and find out more about the address given on the b/c.  It may be a maternity home? Home of a relative? Bedsit etc.  But it may offer up some further clues.

CD

[Kloumann]

I looked up the address, 135 Paisley Road West, on 1915/20 Val. Roll. There were 8 persons listed, at the tenement building, none of which was Graham.

[pocketslint]

Thanks guys, I will take all of that on board. The mother was fostered, and she was my partner's, brother's, mother. As you can imagine, the familial situation wasn't discussed much within the family. She lived out her life in Glasgow, she was married twice, had three children, and she died in 1979 in Glasgow.

I suspect that the address at 135 was a 'mothering' address. There are rumours that her mother got pregnant by the son of the family she was in service with, and talk of him not surviving the War. but that could just be too much time watching Downton Abbey.

[pocketslint]

Sorry, when I said "Mother" above, I meant the baby born 1916. It's starting to confuse even me. LOL.