Genealogy Chat

How am I meant to find a birth entry for a sibling of mine who was Adopted in the early 1960's. I have searched the Birth indexes, found some names which could be him, (like Gro.Gov told me to), I have had the replies back from all of the Register Offices I wrote to, but none match. Why??? Gro.Gov won't let me on the Adoption Contact Register without a name or place of birth. If you were born in a Convent, would you still be registered in the Birth Indexes with the Mother's maiden name and the childs place of birth? Thanks in advance. Stella.

Hi Stella Sounds like you've done all the right things. Why don't you post the names on here and we'll look, or if you don't want to do that, pm me and I'll try and find it for you. Regards Patricia

Hi, its odd the names that could possibly be his dont match. Are you sure you have the correct name? Was the child def reg'd under the name your mum chose? I don't know if in the 60s nuns were allowed to take the baby to be registered, in place of the mother going? Because the mother may have named the child one name yet on the day of registering the birth, someone else could have decided on the biological fathers surname, or a different first name, or even use the surname of the prospective adoptive parents. And the BMD only covers England & Wales, not Scotland or Ireland remember.

I don't have a name for him all I know was that he was born in a convent somewhere in the early 1960's, I'm only going on what my Aunt is telling me.I know his Mothers Maiden name and where she was born and Dad's name of course. Just nothing matches and I can't get anyone to help because you need a name, place of birth and date of birth. Guess I'll never find him. I have had success in finding my other Adopted Brother, I found him 1 week before Christmas this year and have to wait for my Social Services to do their intermediary, before I can have contact with him. Thanks, Stella X

I have checked both the mothers maiden name and Dad's surname (They weren't married at the time)

Good luck. And don't take any nonsence from social services. I had to wait a year to even access my file, then when they finally saw me, they would only read it to me, not let me look at it! They made it clear they were busy 'with other things'. But I persevered, and finally got the names amd dates I wanted.

Stella, were the parents of the missing sibling married? If not, then surely the child would be registered under the mother's surname? Unless someone proves me wrong, I thought it was the law that all births had to be registered, despite the circumstances? Regards Patricia

Missing you is a good free site. Or you could try writing to the local paper where you think the man may be living.

Stella You won't like this - but I have it on good authority that SOME Convents (Magdalen Laundries in particular) either did not insist on registration at all, or registered the child in a false birth name. Sometimes the child was registered as the birth child of the adoptive couple. All highly illegal but it did go on. A dear friend of mine was in a Magdalen Laundry in the early 60s - she was given a false name while in there (to protect her and her family from shame, the Nuns said). The local Registrar came to the Home to register the births, which was done in the Mother Superior's Office. I hope your relative was not one of these. Good luck. OC

Thanks for replying Old Crone.....Maybe I should give up on this one?!!! It's far too complicated. Though I do have a few more names to be going on with. It's worth a try anyway. Stella X PS - Where was Magdalen Laundrey?

Stella Yes, it is always worth a try - my friend was reunited with her daughter by the most extraordinary chance. Someone else was looking for their birth mother, but got the wrong name and contacted my friend. The 'wrong' daughter's adoptive mother REMEMBERED the name of my friend's baby girl, because they were offered a choice of two babies. So don't give up. OC

They were a series of institutions located throughout the Roman Catholic countries of Europe, South America and Canada and run by various orders of nuns.