Genealogy Chat

Hi, can someone please point me in the right direction on what to do next. I have found out my mother was adopted and might not of been born in the uk. I cannot find any trace of her birth certificate but I did find her marriage certificate. Not sure how to start looking.

Many thanks
Deborah

If your mother was adopted do you know her birth name?

If your mother has passed away then I don't think you will be able to access her adoption file.

Unless you already know her birth name I don't think it will be easy to get any further.

Kath. x

I think some changes to the rules might have been made - look here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/relatives-of-adopted-adults-now-able-to-trace-family-tree

Obviously only affects the UK.

Jan

My mother is still alive. Her maiden name was bray but I dont think it was her birth name.

Thank you all for your replies.

When was your mother born Deborah?
Do you actually have the marriage cert? This might offer some clues.
Jan

Thanks Jan, yes I have her marriage certificate. I was always led to believe she was born in Cornwall. But I then found out she was adopted by her grandmother. I think my mother might of been born in india as her father was serving in the army.

Sorry to repeat! But what year was she born?
This is relevant as official adoptions only started 1927, so it affects what research is possible.
Jan

She was born in 1942.

Thanks

Has your mother tried accessing her adoption records? Assuming she was adopted over here obviously:

https://www.gov.uk/adoption-records

Jan

My mother is not aware of any of this. She was always led to believe the person who adopted her was her mother. She was really her grandmother though. My mother was always very secretive when I was a child. I can't speak to her about this as as I'm not sure if she know's any of this or not.

Deborah

How do you know if she doesn't?

I posted a message on the board. A Lady got in touch with me and told me everything and showed me photos of my mum as a child. She remembered my mum as a child.

You posted a message on what board? This one??

I put the message on the Ancestor board.

recently or years ago?

If it was her grandmother that adopted her,,,then one of your mothers parents would have been a son or daughter of the grandmother,,,,,,if it was the birth mum then the full birth names may not have changed.it just went though the process of a legal adoption,,,,,,,,perhaps there was never a formal adoption,?

Hi Jax, it was in 2005.

Hi Kay,
As far as I'm aware she was the daughter of what she thought was her brother but was really her father. I think she was conceived in India and then brought back by her father, then her grandmother adopted her. But I also think this was not formerly. But how did she get married? As normally you have to show your birth certificate.???. This is what I don't get.

Thank you for reading.

Deborah,,,you dont have to show a birth certificate when you get married if you are over 18 or post 1969 and you were over 21. ,,,,,,,,but a full birth certificate is required for a passort or any offcial office that requires it,

If she came to the UK in 1942,,,,war years,? then she would have needed her own passort or been shown on a parent/s as children didnt normally have a passport of their own unless they were lone travelers,

Oh right I thought u had to show ur birth certificate.
Well she has never had a passport . If I search for her father it won't show me anything of interest on his birth certificate. I have just joined this site for India in war times,perhaps I need to try and search for her father serving in the army. What do you think?