RootsChat.Com
Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Aberdeenshire => Topic started by: chithead on Monday 29 July 13 14:08 BST (UK)
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How would I go about finding out about an Adoption in the 1800's. Oral story is my Great Grandfather lost his parents at an early age and was Adopted by the Clarke family of Old Machar Aberdeenshire. Roots chatterer's found him listed with Richard and Kenard Clarke and their two daughters in the 1841 Census. I found the two daughters Births but not James' . Since then this story came to light and that his birth name was James MacDonald Dob around 1837. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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There was no formal adoption process in the 1800s. Orphaned children were often taken on by relatives or neighbours and sometimes are found listed as adopted child in the census. There might be a record in the Kirk Session Minutes if the session was involved in providing parish relief and/or finding a home for an orphan.
FamilySearch has a James McDonald born Old Machar 1837 to George McDonald and Margaret Smith, but James McDonald or MacDonald is a fairly common name so quite a few of that were name were baptised in that area at around that time.
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Adoption as we know it today didn't take place in Scotland until 1930 and the majority of adoptions before that were more informal and often within the family. Some charity groups did become involved at different periods of the 19 th century for example Barnardo's etc but they only dealt with a small minority.
As JMStrachan suggests the Kirk Session records may be worth a look as the Church still ran the
Poor Relief at that time.
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How do I source these "kirk sessions" as I haven't seen a link to such sources? With appreciation chithead
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Hi
Have a look here about kirk session records
http://www.nas.gov.uk/about/101101.asp
Yours Aye
BruceL
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I am also looking for information on someone who was informally adopted in 1896.
It was suggested I look into :
1. http:www.workhouses.org.uk/Scotland
2. Kinnermonth
It was also mentioned to me 3. that for illegitimate children an, "Aliment for illegitimate children " was required under Scottish law. I assume this requires the birth parent to give support money to the family looking after the child they informally adopted or looked after.
If anyone has more information on these 3 areas, I would very much appreciate it.
Thank you.
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An action for Aliment was an action against the father to establish parentage and liability - in theory it could be raised by anyone involved in the upkeep of a child but it was not compulsory and it was a fairly expensive procedure to go through - it is possible that the Poor Law Commissioners may have gone through with it to recover their costs if they were involved.
You should check the Poor Law Records for the area which are not unfortunately online
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Thank you for the information on Aliment under Scottish Laws.
Another question:
Is there some way to check orphanage records??
I was told to check Kilmacolm Orphanage, Bridge of Weir (only a possibility). It was listed as a place where Martha and Andrew Clark informally/temporarily took children they looked after eg Robert R Mutch b) 1889 and Harry P. Mcdonald (1895) born in Elgin, Moreyshire. (would they get paid for this?)
Harry and Rosanna are listed under the last name Clark in some school records, Robert disappears. My grandmother Rosanna Duncan McWilliam b) 1896 in Aberdeen first shows up in the 1901 census at 4 years old. She continues to live with the Clarks until they die-1905 and 1909. The census shows her at 14 living with the two Clark sister's living on Orchard Street.
I know who her mother was but not her father. I wonder if local orphanage records may have more information? Her birth certificate does not list a father.
Any help or suggestions you could give me would be appreciated.
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As JMStrachan suggests the Kirk Session records may be worth a look
They might be.
the Church still ran the Poor Relief at that time.
The Kirk was not responsible for relief of the poor after 1845, when parochial boards were set up for this purpose. The kirk was represented on the parochial boards, but no longer ran the system itself.
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the Church still ran the Poor Relief at that time.
The Kirk was not responsible for relief of the poor after 1845, when parochial boards were set up for this purpose. The kirk was represented on the parochial boards, but no longer ran the system itself.
The original poster referred to 1841 at which time the Kirk did still run the Poor Relief - the answer does not of course refer to the 2nd posters question regarding an adoption in 1896
The orphanage referred to in Bridge of Weir was most likely Quarriers Homes - if they were involved in the adoption process there might be records
see http://www.quarriers.org.uk/resource/trace-your-history/accessing-your-records/
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I am not sure what Quarriers are but will check. Thank you so much.
Has anyone heard of "Alexander's Buildings, Union Glen." That is the location of birth on the birth certificate but I can't seem to find any other reference to it.
Any ideas and suggestions are much appreciated.
Judd
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It was possibly a tenement building in the Union Glen area of Aberdeen
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I am not sure what Quarriers are but will check.
Quarriers is the name of an organisation that used to run the large orphanage at Bridge of Weir. Google for Quarriers Homes.
Has anyone heard of "Alexander's Buildings, Union Glen." That is the location of birth on the birth certificate but I can't seem to find any other reference to it.
The only Union Glen I know of is a street in Aberdeen. It's on Google and Streetview. Alexander's Buildings is likely to be a block of flats which at that time was known by the name of its owner or perhaps a long-standing tenant. Assuming the certificate you refer to is the one referring to the birth in Aberdeen, that will be the one.
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Thank you.
Yes it is the birth certificate of Aberdeen District of Old Machar Parish. It says Alexander's Buildings, Union Glen, Aberdeen. Date of birth 1896, mother is listed (Fanny Margaret McWilliam) but no father.
She was informally adopted (census shows her at age 4 -Rosanna Duncan McWilliam born 1896 with Martha and Andrew Clark, their 2 daughters-Mary Keith Clark and Christina Reid Clark, and another informally adopted boy-Harry P Mcdonald born 1895). Both Rose and Harry were registered in school under the Clark name. Later census only shows the two daughters and Rosanna. An earlier census (pre Rosanna) showed another boy-Robert R. Mutch b) 1889, I think from Kilmacolm Orphanage , Bridge of Weir.
I appreciate your suggestions and help.
Juddy
It was suggested to me that Alexander's Buildings might be a poor house but I have found no evidence of that in my searchers.
Juddy