William McGranthin HAMILTON born 9 March 1928

[LAH-C]

I'm not sure what I'm hoping to get from putting this post on - maybe some advice or ideas of the next step or really good websites for searching. Basically, my father, who died in 1998, died never knowing the circumstances of his birth, his mother or family. My daughter has started searching the birth records in Scotland, trying to find out more about my father's mother and to see if we're able to find out who his father was. His father's name isn't on his birth certificate, he was fostered at the age of 9 months and moved from Glasgow area (Vernon Street) to Inverness where he was fostered. We think we know who his father might have been, based on him being given perhaps his father's name as a middle name. We would love to know why his mother gave him up and who she is/was and whether she had any other children.
If anyone can make any useful comments about how to help us carry on the search I would be very grateful - Lesley

[CaroleW]

Hi and welcome to Rootschat

Can you find a birth for his mother on Scotland's People as that will give her parents names?

You could also search SP to see if she later married

If you have a rough idea of who the father may have been - again - have a look on SP for a birth reg.  There were 2 McGranthin families in Glasgow on the 1901 census

I doubt you will ever get confirmation of your suspicions of paternity and as his mother will now be deceased, her reasons for giving him up may never be known

If she did marry - you may get sufficient info via SP to locate any subsequent children she had

[Ronbucks]

Recheck his Birth Certificate at the left hand side for a possible link to corrected entries.
 
Check Court records for his mother taking child maintenance/ paternity petition against the father.

[Gadget]

Hi

Welcome from me too   

Not sure if you've seen this  but there is a marriage between a xxx l McGranthin and a XXX Hamilton in Maryhill in 1923. It might be worth following up.


Gadget

(I see that Vernon Street is in Maryhill)

Removed first names as there just might be living children

[MonicaL]

Also checked for you the 1927 Glasgow Directory. This is the link for Vernon Street which you mentioned http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~glasgow/1927address1079.jpg (this gets you to the home page if you need to search elsewhere, done by names and streets http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~glasgow/index-glas.htm).

Monica

[LAH-C]

Thank you to you all - I'll follow up. My dad had a suspicion that he had a twin - as the time is on his birth certificate. But I spoke to someone in Scotland last week, she confirmed that in Scotland its normal practice to record the time for both single and multiple births. I have a copy of the 'extract' of his birth certificate, we've ordered a copy of his actual birth certificate from one of the Scottish web sites, we've also ordered the one who we think is his mother. That one wasn't able to be viewed for some reason, once we have the certificate my daughter will try to see if we can find a record of marriage then death. I'm very wary about mentioning names, don't want to upset anyone or break any protocol rules. My mum is happy for us to found out as much as we can. My poor dad was so ashamed at his start in life and never wanted to discuss anything, he simply couldn't understand why his mother waited until he was 9 months to give him up. His childhood was very hard I think, he ran away a few times and then was on his own completely at 15. He joined the RAF and then travelled until he met my mum and had us. He settled in England, but was always a proud Scot. God - listen to me, this is a big deal for us, delving into his past. i'm going to have a look at the link you've sent to me - thanks Monica and thank you to you all for your interest.
Lesley 

[MonicaL]

Lesley, I am sure this is an important thing for you all, as it must have been for your father. From what you have said, sounds like you are in England, which makes it more expensive to do the type of research you are planning as you have to order most certificates given the likely period you are looking at.

Be careful where you are ordering certs from and that you don't incur additional charges. The best place to order direct from on line is from www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk where the cost of ordering a certificate (outside the period that you can view images on lines) is a flat £10 for any one birth/marriage or death cert.

Current cut off to view images on line are:

Births - 1909, due to 100yr privacy rule. Increases by one year each year.
Marriages - currently I think 1934
Deaths - currently 1959, increasing by one year every year.

After these years, certificates have to be ordered.

Something to consider for you is a trip to one of the genealogy centres (the main ones being in Edinburgh or Glasgow) where you are able to view images on line for certificates after the standard cut off dates that you have, as shown above. For a day's booking (varies but c. £14) you can view on line as many certificates as you possibly can on the day. Might work out cheaper in the long run, so something to consider in your research.

Wish you every luck 

Monica

[LAH-C]

Thank you monica 

really helpful - Lesley

[Forfarian]

If he was born in Glasgow and fostered out, it would be worth having a look at the parochial board records (poor law records), which are held in the Mitchell Library in Glasgow. If the Glasgow Parochial Board had a hand in fostering him out, there will be very detailed notes about the case which may even reveal who his father was.

http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/Library_Services/The_Mitchell/Archives/poorlawarchives.htm

I thought that I had seen an online index to the poor law records of Glasgoe but can't find it now.