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The Common Room / Re: Bethlem Hospital (Bedlam) records - where next?
« on: Friday 13 December 24 15:15 GMT (UK) »
Thanks Elswick - that is very kind of you, and would save me a trip!
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The Common Room / Re: Bethlem Hospital (Bedlam) records - where next?
« on: Friday 13 December 24 11:06 GMT (UK) »
Thanks - I will have another look as I may have the wrong information. I'm really trying to see whether there was any court records attached to him, but it doesn't look likely.
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The Common Room / Re: Bethlem Hospital (Bedlam) records - where next?
« on: Friday 13 December 24 07:23 GMT (UK) »
Thanks - I did wonder how he got there. I'm going to contact the museum/archive to see whether they might hold any other records that haven't been put onto FindMyPast.
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The Common Room / Bethlem Hospital (Bedlam) records - where next?
« on: Thursday 12 December 24 21:51 GMT (UK) »
I am searching for records on Charles Henry Shearman, who was admitted to Bethlem numerous times in the 1860s-1870s. I have found records on Find my Past which show that he was delusional and he was admitted for the same reason each time - he believed he was a priest, and he dressed and behaved as a priest.
So, I am looking for some ideas on where else to look for him. He was born in east London and his family were in the Mile End/Shoreditch area. I have looked for him in newspapers but can't find him. My thinking is that he would likely appear in the news, if he was going round impersonating a priest - the Bethlem records indicate he held sermons, took collections etc, as a priest. Where else could I look? Would he possibly appear in Quarter Session records? Would QS courts refer someone to Bethlem? If so, where would I find London QS records?
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated thanks!
So, I am looking for some ideas on where else to look for him. He was born in east London and his family were in the Mile End/Shoreditch area. I have looked for him in newspapers but can't find him. My thinking is that he would likely appear in the news, if he was going round impersonating a priest - the Bethlem records indicate he held sermons, took collections etc, as a priest. Where else could I look? Would he possibly appear in Quarter Session records? Would QS courts refer someone to Bethlem? If so, where would I find London QS records?
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated thanks!
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The Common Room / Re: Adoption records
« on: Thursday 19 September 24 18:23 BST (UK) »
Thanks all - it looks likely that we will be unable to view the adoption details, from the advice you have all given.
Just to give you the full background - my husband originally thought that his cousin was his actual sibling, which is why we ordered the birth certificate and why we can't speak to the cousin about it. This stems from something that was half-said by my mother-in-law when she was very ill before she died. She indicated there was a family secret, and when we looked at her funeral wishes, she had provided four readings, when there are three (known) siblings, which we thought was odd.
My husband's parents married four years before my husband's elder brother was born, and in those four years, his cousin was born. We both thought that perhaps my husband's mum went off and had a child (his 'cousin'). So, when we received his cousin's birth certificate, it had no father listed, and they were born miles away from where they lived.
So, we think my husband's mum had the child. We think she gave a false name on the birth certificate, namely my husband's aunt, who then 'adopted' the child. The aunt never had any other children.
Does this all sound feasible or far-fetched? We have no way of knowing whether the cousin is an actual sibling as we can't ask. which is why I wondered whether the adoption record might shed some light on what happened. It seems odd that the aunt's name is on the birth certificate, but also that the child was 'adopted', even though they lived with the aunt (their named mother) their whole life.
It's intriguing, and unfortunately there are no older relatives left to ask!
Just to give you the full background - my husband originally thought that his cousin was his actual sibling, which is why we ordered the birth certificate and why we can't speak to the cousin about it. This stems from something that was half-said by my mother-in-law when she was very ill before she died. She indicated there was a family secret, and when we looked at her funeral wishes, she had provided four readings, when there are three (known) siblings, which we thought was odd.
My husband's parents married four years before my husband's elder brother was born, and in those four years, his cousin was born. We both thought that perhaps my husband's mum went off and had a child (his 'cousin'). So, when we received his cousin's birth certificate, it had no father listed, and they were born miles away from where they lived.
So, we think my husband's mum had the child. We think she gave a false name on the birth certificate, namely my husband's aunt, who then 'adopted' the child. The aunt never had any other children.
Does this all sound feasible or far-fetched? We have no way of knowing whether the cousin is an actual sibling as we can't ask. which is why I wondered whether the adoption record might shed some light on what happened. It seems odd that the aunt's name is on the birth certificate, but also that the child was 'adopted', even though they lived with the aunt (their named mother) their whole life.
It's intriguing, and unfortunately there are no older relatives left to ask!
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The Common Room / Re: Adoption records
« on: Thursday 19 September 24 10:14 BST (UK) »
Thanks for all the info - we ordered a copy of the birth certificate, and it has 'adopted' written on it. There's just the mother's name, but no father.
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The Common Room / Re: Adoption records
« on: Thursday 19 September 24 08:40 BST (UK) »
Thanks for the replies - the cousin is still alive, I put 'was' in my original post because the cousin lives overseas and is very ill (we are in the UK). The cousin does not have any children, parents are deceased, so my husband is technically the next of kin.
Would my husband be able to apply for adoption details in the UK? His cousin was born and adopted in the UK, and later moved overseas.
Would my husband be able to apply for adoption details in the UK? His cousin was born and adopted in the UK, and later moved overseas.
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The Common Room / Adoption records
« on: Wednesday 18 September 24 20:13 BST (UK) »
I have someone in my husband's side of the tree born in the 1960s, who has 'adopted' written on their birth certificate. Is it possible to search for an adoption record from the 1960s? If so, where do I start?
This person was my husband's cousin, and my husband would be the next of kin, if that makes a difference.
Thanks!
This person was my husband's cousin, and my husband would be the next of kin, if that makes a difference.
Thanks!
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Warwickshire / Re: School name, Addison Road Rugby
« on: Saturday 19 October 19 18:59 BST (UK) »
Yes, we're definitely talking about the same school. It had a hall in the middle, with eight classrooms I think. The grass at the front was used for sports day mostly, as we used to play on a concreted area which went round the whole school. Sometimes for special events we went over to the park, which was opposite the school, at the corner of Addison Road and Lawford Road. If you search for it on the National Archives website, using Bilton County Infant School, you will find some records, and the records I looked at were at Warwickshire CRO (use their Warwickshire Past Unlocked website and you will see what records they have).