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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: finta on Monday 03 August 15 09:54 BST (UK)
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Hello anyone who's reading this!
On a 1911 UK census for my ancestors there is a child described as "Adopted Daughter" aged 5. It is possible that her middle name 'Graham' is her original surname. Full name: Ethel Graham Robertson.
Is there any way I can find out who her birth parents were, apart from ordering numerous birth certificates for that name around 1906, and shelling out a small fortune?
Thanks in advance,
Finta
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There was no formal adoption at this date, and no register. So this looks like a needle in a haystack....unless you can unearth more clues. Can you find a marriage for this 5-y-o and look at the marriage certificate? Might be a clue in a Press report of her wedding?
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Hi Finta
As official adoption only became a legal process in England & Wales in 1927, there are no records prior to this which may be of help.
'Adoption' before 1927 was sometimes what we would now consider to be a fostering arrangement or was 'formally or informally' organised by the clergy, doctors, lawyers etc who may have known of a child needing parents and parents wanting a child.
Do you have her marriage certificate?
Does she name a father on that?
Of course she may have been illegitimate and there will be no fathers name on the birth cert anyway.
You could try also baptisms as the census does give a place of birth.
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Thank you very much dawnsh and GrahamSimons. I will pursue your tips now!
Finta
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Can you describe the ROBERTSON family as they appear in the 1911 census.
Is Ethel the youngest child...oldest child....only child?
How old are the ROBERTSON parents...old enough to be Ethel's grandparents ie Ethel is born to an unmarried daughter.
What is birthplace of Ethel.
Do you see GRAHAM in families of the ROBERTSONs. Do Mr and Mrs ROBERTSON have GRAHAM brothers, sisters, cousins ie Ethel is close relative. Does Ethel's name appear in age sequence with other children, or is she listed last?
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The birth of an Ethel Graham was registered in South Shields in the March ¼ 1906
Stan
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Ethel Graham Robertson was born in Hebburn, Durham, which is in the Registration district of South Shields.
Stan
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Ethel Graham Robertson was born in Hebburn, Durham, which is in the Registration district of South Shields.
Stan
Putting a surname as a middle name for an illegitimate child was often the mother's way of getting the father acknowledged on the birth cert since she would not have been allowed to name him otherwise.
Margaret
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Her birth was registered as Ethel Graham, once she was "adopted" by the Robertsons, they apparently added their name as a surname. South Tyneside Registrars give the District: SS/Jarrow.B
Jarrow was a sub-district of South Shields Registration District. http://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/article/9966/Search-Register-Office-records
Stan
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Thank you stanmapstone, Margaret March and wivenhoe. I thought I had already posted replies but they seem not to have reached the messageboard!
Ethel (b. Hebburn, South Shields abt 1906) is listed last on the 1911 census last, but she is also last in descending age order. Two other children are recorded as children of this marriage and these are recorded as aged 13 and 11. Wife Eleanor's (adoptive mother) age given as 51 (b. Blyth, Northumberland). Husband Francis is at his mother's house on census day and was aged about 44.
The 'adoptive' father was one of 8 sons (no daughters) and so my line of thinking is that maybe Ethel was the illegitimate daughter of one of these sons, or their offspring, and Ethel was given the mother's name. Or, as Margaret March suggested, the middle name Graham might have been the birth father's name.
I cannot find a marriage record for Francis (aka Frank on parent's death certs) and Eleanor (recorded as Eleanor A Robertson on 1901 census).
Thank you all so much for your help...any more would be welcome!
Finta
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If you don't have it the marriage of Ethel G Robertson and Lancelot Plunton was registered in South Shields Sept ¼ 1926.
Stan
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The birth of Derek Graham R PLUNTON was registered in South Shields Sept ¼ 1930. The R could be Robertson.
Stan
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http://www.freebmd.org.uk
shows a possible marriage in 1896 - Frank Robertson and Eleanor Morgan
http://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/article/9966/Search-Register-Office-records
this confirms them as marrying.
I think it's possible Eleanor was married before, given the ages - a possibility would be Eleanor Ann Fraser b. 1862 m. Thomas Morgan in 1883. It may turn out that Edith was the daughter of one of Eleanor's kids from her first marriage, or of a sister of Edith. Any Fraser or Morgan girls with them in 1901?
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Thank you jorose and stanmapstone. The name Eleanor Morgan (wife to Francis) rings a bell from research some years ago. After a little hunting it seems she married Joshua Morgan (b Wales) in 1883 and her maiden name was Rutherford. She lived in Stockton on Tees then. Joshua must have died/divorced? and Eleanor married my gg uncle Francis in 1896 in South Shields.
The name Lancelot Plunkton (possible husband to adoptee Ethel) made me smile - it sounds so plum-in-mouth, though from a brief search it seems he did not fare well in life, at least for a while.
I think I shall have to order a birth cert or two for Ethel Graham to establish her parenthood. I'm only really interested if she's blood-related to a Robertson, although the nosey-parker part of me would like to know ;)
Thank you again,
Finta