Genealogy Chat

My father (now deceased) always told me he was adopted from a baby farm in Kings Lynn Norfolk.

I have details and photos of the family who gave him a home but would like to find out if there was a formal adoption I could trace.

Dad did not have a birth certificate and when he entered the army had to give a sworn declaration as to what he had been told was his date of birth.(9th Dec 1914), bringing forth a comment from the sargeant " oh, your one of them "

I would really appreciate any advice you have to offer.
Thankyou
Sylvia

Hi Sylvia.
There were no formal adoptions until about 1927. I am unsure where you should go from here. Have you tried a google search for 'baby farms Norfolk'? Having said that, I have never come across this term. I wonder if it was a workhouse maybe?
Jan

Did he no his birth name?

have you looked for him using his known name?

Roy

Hi Jan.
No it was not a workhouse. I have researched into 'babyfarms' and some were quite notorious.

Tey were normally what we would call childminders except the baby was placed there permanantly and the mother paid for the childs upkeep.
They were kept there until they could be farmed out to a permanant family for adoption etc,

My dads story was quite sad.
He was told that a maid took him to the baby farm on behalf of the mother and was sent tp prison rather than reveal the name of his mother.

He always joked that Kings Lynn is very close to SANDRINGHAM.

regards

Sylvia (could be royalty......joke )

Hi Roy,
He was called Edward from birth (Ted in later years) but NO surname.

regards Sylvia

Thought I would look for male births in Kings Lynn, registered with that birth date in mind, with same MMN as surname - on the assumption he was illegitimate. There aren't many - I think these are all of them, but do check!
None might be yours obviously, but it's something to think about.

Births Dec 1914

Trownsell Edward J Trownsell King's L. 4b 518
Wallis Leonard R Wallis King's L. 4b 530


Births Mar 1915

ELY Albert B Ely King's L. 4b 530
Dyble William F M G Dyble King's L. 4b 540

Jan

Thankyou Jan..... Food for thought.


Sylvia

Dad was very happy with his FAMILY and when I discussed his life with him years ago he said to research his adopted family as they were the only ones he knew. This I have been doing with success.

However , I have always had that niggling question in the back of my mind as to who his real family were.

I tink I may have to accept that I will never find out.

Thanks for all your suggestions.

Sylvia

Well, if it isn't one of the above then I agree, you will never know. The only way to tell is to get the birth certs and check birth dates, but I think it's a long shot to be honest. As there are only 4 it might be worth the risk.
You could widen the search to Norfolk, but then it would be very expensive and potentially with no success.
He might not even have been registered, or the birth date might be wrong too. Maybe he was right, his family were the ones who took him in, and they are who matter.
Jan

Thanks Jan.

I think I will leave it as it stands.

He was quite happy to accept his aoptive family as his and referred to the children of the famiyl as his brothers and sisters.

He was happy and so should I be.

Thanks again

Sylvia