Genealogy Chat

I've noticed that there are written entries or comments on the GRO Index and was told that these could relate to children who were later adopted or added later because the child was registered late.

I've also been informed that a birth certificate would have the word 'adopted' written if that was the case.

I know for certain that a child was adopted, I've got their birth certificate and there is no mention on it of any adoption. I've taken a look at the GRO Index again and once again there is no comments or additions.

Can anyone clarify this for me? I know 100% certanty that the child was adopted as a young baby. So why is there no mention on the birth certificate.

Thanks, Lou

We have my husband's cousin's birth certificate. He was adopted by his father's brother and his wife when he was a few days old and before his birth was registered. There's no record of it on the certificate or anywhere else because, as were many adoptions at that time, it was unofficial. He was twelve before he knew his "parents" were not really his parents. His mother died shortly after his birth. This was 1934.

Annie

Hi Annie,

Thanks, I know some adoptions were not official. It was in 1950 and I was told by the birth mother she gave her child up for adoption to a couple who came from Liverpool. She was living in Cheshire and went to a mother and baby home on the Wirral.

Lou

A friend of mine was born and adopted at birth in 1960 his birth name is on the GRO index and has got no reference next to the entry,

I also have another friend who was born and adopted at birth in 1970 who is also on the index but her birth has got the handwritten entry to indicate the adoption,

so although their probably should be a reference on all these entry's it could be that the info on some occasions never got through to the GRO due to human error,
Also at what date did they decide to ammend the index in such way to indicate an adoption had taken place,

If you trawl through the index when adoption first became ( formal/legal )
you do not see any such references

Roy

What should happen if the Adoption was officially made through the courts is as follows:-

Adopted Children Register

There is a register of all adoptions granted by courts in England and Wales since 1927.

An entry is recorded into the register when a court issues an adoption order. This entry replaces the original birth entry in the General Register Office's Register of Births. The original birth entry is amended to read 'adopted'.

The adoptive parents are then issued with a short adoption certificate. Although the index is available for inspection the actual register is not open to public inspection or research.

Adoption Records

If you were adopted through a court in England or Wales and are over 18 years of age, you are entitled to find out information relating to your birth and have access to your adoption records, if they still survive.

Only the adoptee is allowed to apply to see their original birth records and go on the Adoption Contact Register.

On your original birth certificate you should find out exactly when and where you were born, the name you were given at birth, your mother's name, your father's name (if it was given) and the name and possibly relationship to you of the person who registered your birth.

There is a slightly different procedure depending on whether you were adopted before or after 12 November 1975.

Before this date, many adoptive parents were led to believe that their adopted children would be able to find out their original name or the name of their birth parents. However in both cases you need to make an application to the General Register Office for Access to Birth Records service. The first thing to do is to give the General Register Office your details. A counselling interview will then be set up.

There is more detailed help and information on the General Register Office's website: www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/adoptions/index.asp

Hi Roy and InspectorGreenPen,

Many thanks for your comments, help and detailed information. I has been really useful and very informative.

Thanks to you all for taking the time and trouble to help and advise. It's very much appreciated and has helped a great deal.

Thanks again and good luck to you all in your own research.

Regards, Lou