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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: clandean on Wednesday 17 March 21 09:12 GMT (UK)
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Clutching at straws here! I am trying to trace my partner's biological father. We believe him to be a William Wright born about 1912. All we know he was living in Coventry Road Birmingham as a fitter in 1953 and was supposedly single. I have searched tirelessly on Ancestry but wondered if any of you have any thoughts on this.
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Common name (I have one of them too). :)
It is possible that he served in WW2, but there will be a lot by that name.
Possibly look for him on the 1939 register.
It might be worth considering your partner taking a DNA test.
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Can you access electoral roles to see how long he’d been at that address?
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Thank you for your suggestions. I have looked on the 1939 register and on the Midland electoral registers. There are too many, too difficult to find obviously because of the common name.
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Electoral registers are indexed by address so it may be worthwhile trying to view those around 1953.
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You say "believed to be William Wright" - where did you get his name from?
How have you arrived at 1912 as a possible birthyear for him? Was the birth 1953 - if so - he was about 40 at that time. Was your partners mother a similar age?
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It was on my partner's adoption papers. His mother stated that was his name and he was 42 when his son was born. This was in Edgbaston. We have details of his mother and half siblings, which we have met. Thanks for your interest.
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I put this on the forum in 2021 on trying to trace my partner's biological father, but so far no success. We believe him to be a William Wright born about 1912. All we know he was living in Coventry Road Birmingham as a fitter in 1954 aged 42 and was supposedly single. I have searched tirelessly on Ancestry but wondered if any of you have any thoughts on this. As suggested I am not convinced that my partner having a DNA test would have the answer. Any suggestions please.
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The problem is always going to be that this is a very common name, and you only have an age (which may or may not be accurate) and an address, which may have been temporary, so even if you find a man by the right name you are going to struggle to know it is the right candidate.
There is a William Wright (b14/8/1911) and an electrical installer/engineer in nearby Alcester Road in the 1939 register that you could investigate further ....but DNA is realistically the way to go
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As suggested I am not convinced that my partner having a DNA test would have the answer. Any suggestions please.
You would be surprised at the results a DNA test can give. Whilst it may take a little time for it to propagate a result that is worth looking into, it is your best bet especially when looking for a biological parent that you are unsure if it is correct or not. Many people have had success if finding biological parents of ancestors using DNA even to find out who they thought were biological weren't.
Additionally, there are few records available for 1954 that would show you whether the said person was living where you think as they are not released yet, and even if there were, wouldn't necessarily show if your partner is related to him or not, hence why a DNA test is the best route to take.
That said, where did you get the information regarding him living in Coventry Road, Birmingham? I ask, as looking at the 1939 census (the closest released record bar directories to the date you provide and available on Ancestry), it shows a William Wright living in Coventry, Warwickshire, England (not Coventry Road), born 1916 and had an occupation of Aero-Carburettor Fitter. This is another candidate further to the one Antony mentioned earlier.
Now, I am in no way suggesting that this is the person you are looking for as there are inconstancies to the record and your details i.e. born 4 years later, not living in Coventry Road but Coventry and also there are many types of 'fitters', but perhaps may be someone to look into and perhaps if you do get a DNA test, someone to keep a look at for in the results.
Just keep in mind however, that even if you do look into the above mentioned person or any other possibility, there is no guarantee it is the biological father unless you can find an actual record stating your partner is related or a DNA test can prove it.
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Thank you for your swift replies The information I have is written on my partner's adoption paper stating that the father was William Wright, address Coventry Road Birmingham, aged 42 and occupation stated as fitter. Therefore as you have stated, DNA is the way to go.
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I ask, as looking at the 1939 census (the closest released record bar directories to the date you provide....)
There wasn't a census in 1939......it was the 1939 National Register.
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/1939-register/
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As you have seen above - DNA is the recommended way forward.
I had an uncle - also William Wright - born 1917 & lived all his life in Liverpool.
His daughter & her 3 children emigrated to Australia in 1990. About 5yrs ago - one granddaughter in Australia was contacted by a young man from Preston Lancashire & it was discovered my uncle had fathered a child in 1936 whilst stationed at the local barracks in Preston (unknown to anybody in the family) who was the grandfather of the young man. Subsequent investigations confirmed it but without DNA that would never have been known