Adopted Child - Hunt, Lucy Selina IOW

[crazycanuck]

In my search for my family on the Isle of Wight I have found that on the 1881 census there is a Lucy Selina Hunt listed as an adopted child of the family of "John Inkpin, 3 Milford Cottages, Newport Road, Godshill, Hampshire".

This is my g-g-g father and family.  I have at home a book of prayers that belonged to Lucy Selina, but I have had no luck tracing where she came from, how she came to be adopted, or any records relating to this.  I have also been unable to find her previous to the 1881 census and after the 1881 census.

Where is the best place to search next? On the Isle of Wight Family History site, they have bmd but so far nothing to search for adoption records.  This is the first adoption I've come across in my family research and it's stumping me.

[Dave Francis]

Hi there

There was no such thing as a formal, legal adoption in the UK until the 1920s so there won't be any relevant records to look up.

I see from the 1881 Census that Lucy was born in Whitwell on the Isle of Wight, and that she was 11 years old at the time (therefore born 1869/1870). But there doesn't seem to be a birth registration under the name Hunt.

Is there no baptismal record for her?

Dave

[crazycanuck]

At this point I have been unable to locate her anywhere until the 1881 census - no birth records, no baptismal records, nothing.  She also seems to disappear after the 1881 census, so I've no idea where to go from here.

[Little Nell]

I think you may have to be creative in your thinking.  Most 'adopted' children are family in some way.  John's wife was Frances New prior to marriage so I wonder if you should look for a Hunt/New marriage or Inkpin/Hunt.

I started to look at births on the Isle of Wight for a Lucy under any of those surnames.

I found a Lucy Elizabeth New born in 1872, maiden surname Simmonds; a Selina Hunt born in 1869, no maiden surname shown.

Perhaps somewhere to start.

Nell

[crazycanuck]

Thank you Nell - I'll definitely take your advice and get creative in my thinking.  I've been on the IOW fhs and am in the process of ordering some of the birth and marriage certificates.  I'll add looking for a New/Hunt, Inkpin/Hunt in the search.

Thanks again

[Daisypetal]

Hi,

This looks like your Lucy Selina in 1871, (INKPIN transcribed as JUKPIN)

1871  RG10/1170  f.108  p.7  Godshill
Welt? Street

Fanny INKPIN       Head   Mar  43  Laundress   Newchurch IofW
Elizabeth  "  "        Daur  Unm  14  Servant         "  "          "  "
Mary        "  "       Daur          11  Scholar          "  "         "  "
Selina HUNT  Nursechild            1                     Whitwell    "  "
Rosa JONES        Visitor  Unm  19  Servant         Godshill    "  "


Regards
Daisy

[avm228]

A possible birth registration:

Selina Hunt, Mar 1870 Isle of Wight 2b 619

The two children "adopted" by my ggg-grandparents at almost exactly this time were unrelated to the family - they were sisters successively taken in as nursechildren from the nearby workhouse as infants and never went back.

As Dave has said, there was no system of formal adoption, so no records of it.

Anna

[crazycanuck]

Thank you for explaining about your nursechildren Anna. I had been unsuccessful finding alternate marriages, but workhouse infants may be a possible explanation. 

I appreciate all the help and direction given so far.

Here's to more success!!  My next hunt begins for John Inkpin in 1871.  He is on the 1861 census with Fanny and on the 1881 census with Fanny - so where was he during the 1871 census??