Trace Ancestor

[Cosmos55]

Thank you, will order now, what does M Quarter mean?

[Kiltaglassan]

...what does M Quarter mean?

March Quarter (Jan-Mar)

[Cosmos55]

Thank you!

So Ive obtained the birthcert for Annie Ruth Raven (Raben) and her DOB is 25 January 1862

[Neale1961]

Thank you!

So Ive obtained the birthcert for Annie Ruth Raven (Raben) and her DOB is 25 January 1862

1882 ?

[Neale1961]

So Ive obtained the birthcert for Annie Ruth Raven (Raben) and her DOB is 25 January 1862

I think you must mean 25 Jan 1882

See my reply #64 ---
I think this might be your Annie Ruth (only one day out in DOB 26 Jan 1882)
She married in 1924 Hampshire as Annie Ruth Brown to Charles W Hibbs, and the only way to know if that is the correct person is to get the marriage certificate.

[Neale1961]

Cosmos, I understand why you want to know more about your grandmother’s adoption, but I don’t believe there will be any documentation for you to find. Child adoption had no legal status in Britain until 1926, when the first Act was passed which regulated this in England and Wales. Until then, child adoption was an informal and generally secretive procedure.

I have looked to see if there was any apparent connection / acquaintance between Annie Bessie’s adoptive parents and her biological parents, and I found nothing.

I believe we have now narrowed the adoption time down to a 2 year window between 1909 and 1911.
To try to narrow it further, you would continue to look for the death of Thomas Brown. With all the information we have now, I am inclined to think he died before 1911, rather than the other option of him deserting his wife and family. Knowing his DOB, did not throw up any new leads for him still living after 1911, that I could see. Others may have more luck.
    There is another possible death for Thomas to look at that I mentioned above (reply #69). If you can’t find a death for him before 1911 then I am not sure I have any more ideas on tracing Thomas. Unfortunately with such a common name, it is extremely difficult.

The other thing you could try, is to find out when Annie Ruth Brown started work at Woodcote House School in Windlesham, because her children would probably have been adopted before or around that date. The school still exists today and may have archives with records of staff employment that go back to the 1909-1911 period. They may not be able to help, as she was domestic staff rather than a teacher  – but you have nothing to lose, so asking them (and explaining your reason) is an option to consider.

[Cosmos55]

Hi neale

Your message and extensive time consuming research in my quest to trace my fathers unknown family history is incredible.
This evening I have written to Woodcote House and a historic group amd also The National Archives for the Netley Hospital amd will report back either way if I get a reply.
I agree with you that its probably an impossible mission to get the adoption details and unfortunately prior to my grandmothers death she asked a friend to destroy papers in a box and for  my parents to not see what was in it! Now guess adoption information was possibly there as she would have needed this for her passport application to prove change of name from Brown (birtb cert) to Hayward then marriage cert to Barraclough and deed poll record to Felton!!
Shame it was pre record keeping.
I will be back and wish you all the best in your continuing research for others.

[Brenda0101]

Hello,  I am the owner of www.netleyabbeymatters.co.uk which covers the Past Lives and Times of Netley Abbey Village and Netley War Hospital aka the Royal Victoria Military Hospital.  I also maintain the Netley Hospital Names' database of those folk we have identified were at some point at Netley Hospital in its lifetime (1862 - 1978). 

I've looked at the Army Record for Thomas Brown.  His Service No is 3522 although one document looks like 3532.  In light of a comment about there being a "Thomas" in an Asylum somewhere, if there had been the slightest indication that Thomas was discharged because he was suffering with, say, melancholia or "confusional insanity", his discharge papers would show this - but they don't.  The reason for discharge would not have said "found to be medically unfit", the documents would have been stamped "Insane".  There would likely too have been a further statement showing to which Asylum he would have been escorted; his place of birth/place of settlement was Wantage, Berks so documents would have shown him being sent to Berkshire County Asylum unless or until a family member came forward to "claim" him.  I looked briefly without success for his Pension Card/Claim both under his name and Annie's as that should be stamped "Dead" and show the date when his Pension ceased. 

I have added Thomas to the Netley Hospital Names' database.  Thank you for the information!