Adopted son - Is this Margaret his mother?

[littleem1906]

I'm looking into a Percy Walter Jones, born 11th June 1896. He lived, married and died in Birmingham.

In 1901 he was living in Aston, Birmingham, as the adopted son of William Thomas Platford and his wife Harriet. He again appeared with this family in 1911.

Percy Walter Jones's place of birth is recorded as Hereford in both the 1901 and 1911 census records. There is a birth on GRO for him and his parental details are as follows:
Born - 11th June 1896, Hampton Bishop
Mother - Margaret Jones (domestic servant)
Father - Thomas Jay (this is then crossed out)

I'd like to know who Margaret was. I wonder if she had died and this is why her son was adopted. Or whether she gave her son away.

There is a Margaret Jones in the 1891 census working as a servant in Hampton Bishop. She is a servant to Lionel Corbett and family, and she is listed as being 24 years old. Could this be my Margaret?

I looked for deaths of anyone named Margaret Jones in Hereford from the time of Percy's birth to 1901 when he appears to have been adopted. There is only one possible (going by age) in 1899. Margaret Jones aged 18. If this Margaret is the right person then the 1891 census above wouldn't match. The Margaret who died in 1899 was the second daughter of a John Jones according to newspaper records. He was living in Cantilope Street, Hereford.

 I'm not sure yet if there is a connection between the Platford family (originally from Norfolk, but moved to Birmingham after 1891) and a Jones family to determine if they knew each other or not.

Who was Margaret? Could it be the Margaret who was a servant in 1891 in the same place listed on Percy's birth record? Will I ever know? Is the father (who was crossed out on the birth record) also traceable?

[Pheno]

You keep mentioning birth record - do you mean birth certificate?  And have you obtained a copy of this from GRO?

Pheno

[littleem1906]

Hi

Yes this is the certificate from GRO.

[Pheno]

The only way you are going to be sure about Percy Walter Jones parentage is probably through taking a DNA test and then looking at your matches.

You might be lucky enough to find a bastardy order for Percy in which his mother Margaret is claiming maintenance for the child and the named father is charged, if any have survived for Hampshire.

There was no formal adoption process prior to 1926 in England so unlikely to be any paperwork.

Pheno

[rosie99]

There is a birth on GRO for him and his parental details are as follows:
Born - 11th June 1896, Hampton Bishop
Mother - Margaret Jones (domestic servant)
Father - Thomas Jay (this is then crossed out)

Who was the informant.  Does it give any addresses ie place of birth, abode of mother / informant

[CaroleW]

He married Minnie Whatcott in 1921 - any father shown on his marriage cert?  If not - then DNA is your best way forward

Died 1985 Birmingham