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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: sparkle60 on Thursday 18 July 13 01:31 BST (UK)
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I have a first cousin who was adopted 1944 in Scotland as a baby. I have his original birth record. But he has not registered with Birthlink for contact with living relatives. I do not know his new name of course. He may be unaware that he was adopted. Or he may know but has chosen not to seek more information. Or he could be deceased. All I can do is include his original birth name in our family tree, and hope that he (or children if he married) decide to research their genealogy and wish to make contact.
But maybe someone can answer the following...?
I guess there would be nothing on an adopted child's 'new' or 'short' birth certificate which might make them suspect they were adopted. Would this certificate be sufficient for all future needs? If they ordered a replacement for any reason, would they be sent the 'full' certificate revealing 'adopted' on it? Might my cousin's descendants some time in the future, if they were researching their tree, be able to discover their father was adopted?
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Hi , an adopted person can apply for the original birth certificate marked adopted. However it cannot be used legally , say to apply for a passport . the long certificate issued with the adoptive parents names becomes the legal document along with the short version of course.
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Thanks for your reply 'alienlady'.
So unless a person was actually told, they may never know they were adopted?
Or is there any other way they could discover this?
Does the true birth date, time and place (e.g. hospital born in) remain same on the
certificate issued to the adoptive parents?
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So unless a person was actually told, they may never know they were adopted?
Or is there any other way they could discover this?
Basically correct BUT my father found out he was adopted when he applied for a passport. I don't know the 'ins & outs' of that but that's what happened. When my father passed away I decided to do some digging, admittedly I had a few clues to start with, & easily found his original birth registration. Sent for the certificate which stated in the margin, 'adopted'.
Only your cousin can apply for all the relevant paper work connected with his adoption (or at a later date his proven descendants) It's very likely he does know. So as far as your research is concerned you'll have to be contented with his original birth details with maybe a note that he was adopted.
Jane
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A baptismal record might also state that a child was adopted (have seen entries in register that list both natural and adoptive parents).
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hi sparkle , yes the birth information remains the same. Only the adopted person can apply for their details during their lifetime.
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that's very interesting aghadowey, i have not come across that before. was that in a particular era?
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hi again ,do you know if it was an legal adoption? because many children were taken in by neighbours during the war years,when the children's families were killed. they remained with their 'adoptive' families.
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I don't know about Scotland, but in England, a short birth certificate for an adopted person has different wording on the printed bit.
A non-adopted person's says "I [name of registrar] Superintendent Registrar for the Registration District of .......... do hereby certify that the above particulars have been compiled from an entry in a register in my custody."
An adopted person's says "Certified to have been compiled from records in the custody of the Registrar General. Given at the General Register's Office, Somerset House, London under the seal of the said Office on the ..... day of ..... 19xx."
So, if you don't know what you're looking for, it would be easy to miss the difference.
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that's very interesting aghadowey, i have not come across that before. was that in a particular era?
No, have seen several cases of this and not all in the same church- latest probably in 1940s and earlier in 1890s from memory.
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We have an adopted son and he carries his certificate with him as when he was working through agencies they quite often asked for it. In the end we had to order a new cert for him as the other one was worn out, but I'm sure it states we are his adoptive parents on it. In fact one agency wouldn't accept it as they said it wasn't a "real" birth certificate. I told our son to go back to the agency and tell them that if the DVLA and other government departments accepted it, then so should their agency. He's never wanted his original birth certificate and in any case that would have a different name on it and wouldn't be proof of who he is.
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Many thanks to all for your helpful replies
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We have an adopted son and he carries his certificate with him as when he was working through agencies they quite often asked for it. In the end we had to order a new cert for him as the other one was worn out, but I'm sure it states we are his adoptive parents on it. In fact one agency wouldn't accept it as they said it wasn't a "real" birth certificate. I told our son to go back to the agency and tell them that if the DVLA and other government departments accepted it, then so should their agency. He's never wanted his original birth certificate and in any case that would have a different name on it and wouldn't be proof of who he is.
I seem to recall that it's written on a birth cert that it isn't proof if identity. Other people have also had trouble with agencies and employers when producing adoption certs, 'Glen in tinsel' is one I have seen write about it.
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I'm not sure why employment agencies always ask for a birth certificate - I wonder if it's to prove he was born in the UK? As we know what his original name was we could always order his birth certificate, but that wouldn't help either. He has been asked for his passport, but as he only used it once when he first got it in about 1990 that is way out of date. ::)
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I have a first cousin who was adopted 1944 in Scotland as a baby. I have his original birth record. But he has not registered with Birthlink.......etc etc
UPDATE - In the city where I was searching, there was more than one adoption agency.
I contacted the other one - they said yes they knew that name, contacted my cousin and arranged a meeting. Happy ending.
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That's great news. Thanks for the update :)
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I'm happy for you and your cousin.
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So nice that
a) there's a happy ending, and
b) that you've kindly told us all of it.
Congratulations.
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That is a lovely ending, my best wishes for the future relationship.
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Having found and met my cousin, thanks everyone for your good wishes.
I made a large book of photos and ancestry to take with me to give... The agency was brilliant setting up a nice room and being there with us when we first met (and follow up with counselling afterwards if needed). I am glad I didn't give up searching, and my elderly cousin thanked me for finding... They had always wondered about their birth family. The birth mother died when I was a small child and the 'secret' of their baby was told to me as a teenager. I always felt it was an injustice that this unknown cousin was denied the opportunity of contact, if they wished for it... But an elderly relative of the birth family was against contact. So I took up my quest after they passed away, and I'm glad I did. I hope this helps others in similar situations.
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Good on you! Now your life has even more sparkle :) :)
Dawn M
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Oh, thanks for the update!
Such good news for you. ;D
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Best wishes to you both as you catch up on those lost years . perhaps you have inspired others in a similar situation.
Nothing ventured nothing gained!
Pleased you got the results you hoped for :) :)
Cheers
Taffie